Protection
by leiahlaloa
Summary: Sequel to With Opened Eyes... Bella and Edward's demons come to find them.  Happily Ever After will have to wait.  Seriously... read With Opened Eyes before you read this one.  You'll be very confused if you don't.
1. Prologue

**A/N- After much wait and anticipation, here is the sequel to With Opened Eyes. **

**WARNING: Please, PLEASE go read With Opened Eyes first, if you haven't. This story might not make any sense if you don't. And if you start reading right here, you'll ruin the entire plot of my first story. Seriously. I'm not joking with you. If you think you'll enjoy this story, **_**I**_** think you'll enjoy my other one. GO! **

**Mmkay.. as usual, I don't own any character that rests within the pages of Twilight, New Moon or Eclipse. I only own the characters and the plots that lie within these white pages. Please respect that. And enjoy this. I think I'm going to. **

I couldn't believe it. Even with my enhanced vision, I couldn't fathom that Bella, _my _Bella, was casually cuddling with that _leech_. It was sickening to see. And there wasn't anything I could do about it.

I frowned. Well there was, but it involved ripping him to pieces and using a blow torch to get rid of them. I don't think Bella would appreciate that. And I would respect her wishes. The ones that she made very clear only a few months ago.

This was official Quileute business anyways. I couldn't let myself get wrapped up in my emotions. I had to push them all away. Sam had been trying to teach me that.

I wasn't great at it yet.

I let my vision focus on the pair settled against the balcony rails of the stone house. There was something off about their appearance. Something not quite right. I tried to put all the pieces together.

Bella and that leech had run away together. Charlie had said that much. But the rest of the Cullens were gone within the days after that. No trace. Just the furniture and menial belongings in their house.

We believed that they had changed Bella, which was the reason she had run away with him. And then the family followed, knowing the treaty was broken.

But what was it that was nagging in the back of my mind about this whole thing?

_They aren't sparkling. They're in the sun, and they look human._ Sam's voice was clear in my head. _Chief Swan's daughter isn't changed then, but what about the cold one beside her? I can't even smell him. Either of them._

We were all mystified. There was more to this story. We weren't sure there was time to hear about it.

**A/N- Don't get too excited! The entire story isn't in Jacob's point of view. I know it is evil that I've only given you the prologue, but it's all that I feel safe with right now. Chapter one is almost edited and chapter two is en route to being first draft complete. But you'll have to be patient with me. My responsibilities are doubling as I type and things are going to start getting busy around here. **

**I bet that if you left me reviews, I might type and edit faster. : ) **


	2. Chapter 1

**A/N- After… one day I have Chapter One for you! Hooray! **

**As we continue on this quest for Edward and Bella's happily ever after I continue to warn you that there will always be differences and oddities in this story. I am, after all, leiahlaloa, the girl who threw Edward into a coma for three months, much to my readers' dismay. Just remember we're getting back to the roots of Twilight and New Moon. I'll try not to change anyone else into a half breed! I promise! **

**As always, I do not own Twilight, New Moon, Eclipse, or any of the characters that rest within those pages. I do, however, own any characters that I may dream up along the way. **

**Oh and here's another surprise:**

**Edward's Point of View**

"Bella, go inside." I commanded. There were several reasons that I wanted her to get as far away from the pack as she could.

The first being Jacob Black, obviously. I was still slightly jealous of the relationship they seemed to have and I was feeling a little more defensive these days. Secondly, she did not look or smell like a vampire and I wanted them to think that for as long as possible. But the third reason was their notorious uncontrollable rage. I did not want Bella to get hurt. She had told me what happened to Sam's fiancé Emily. There would be no repeats of that little incident while I was around. I don't care if Bella healed on her own or not.

I also had a feeling that I would be the safest emissary for my family. No sparkling. No vampire scent anymore. Just strength, speed and mind reading. They could deal with that. Suddenly, everything that I had grudgingly been growing accustomed to—that lack of vampiric paraphernalia taking a hold on my body—was useful.

"Forget it. That's Jacob. He won't talk to you." She broke away from my grasp to scowl at me and pose a defiant stance.

It was way too adorable. I almost kissed her right there. The anger had flushed her cheeks slightly; so inviting. I reached for her. I wanted her to feel the anxiety that I felt at their presence.

"Bella, be reasonable." I drew her back into the circle of my arms, "I know that word does not seem to be in your vocabulary, but I am not going to let you anywhere near them when they are like that." I pointed. I saw one of the wolves sneer. They were not going to wait long.

"I can help." Bella pouted. My pitiful, beating heart lurched at the thought. Where was my family anyways? Unlike me, they had their supersensitive sense of smell. Couldn't they smell the wolf pack in our front yard? Then I heard Alice's thoughts, coming towards us, racing miles a minute.

"You can help by going inside. Please. Trust me." I pleaded, pushing her towards the French doors.

"I don't want you to go out there alone either. They are vampire killers. Technically, you're still a vampire." She advanced towards the railing. I blocked her attempt and angled her back towards the house. Thankfully, Alice was there to capture Bella and drag her inside, before there could be much more discussion.

_Edward, we're only letting you do this because I've seen that they won't maul you. Just talk and then come inside. I cannot keep Bella trapped when her best friend is just outside the door._ There was a scowl in Alice's tone. I could tell. And she was right. Bella had a will of her own these days. Subtly prodding me to do her bidding and getting whatever she wanted from any member of the family. She had been busy while I laid in my comatose stupor.

I took one last glance at Bella, her arms folded and her petulant pout set in place. Then I hopped the ledge of the balcony. I realized what a mistake this had been when the pack took a defensive stance against my quick movement.

"I'm sorry." I raised my hands up, offering peace, "It was just faster."

I watched as they stood in a semi circled grouping, eyeing me. Their leader—was his name Sam?—was the first to change into human form. The others followed shortly after. I paid no attention to their naked bodies and waited for one to speak.

"Cullen, there is much that needs to be said." Sam spoke up. I saw Jacob scowl at me and suddenly I saw their minds. It hit me like a wall of bricks. Victoria and a different male vampire—no, a _newly changed_ vampire—in Forks. They had been at Bella's house.

My face must have registered the shock I felt at their memories.

"So you _are _still a leech." Jacob's voice was filled with hate. It wasn't surprising, though. His mind had been filled with it as well.

"I don't know what I am, actually." I replied honestly, "I can only tell you that I don't crave or drink blood any longer."

"That explains the smell. And your appearance." Sam's voice was pained and I suddenly wondered what had made them track us up here, "We're not here to enforce the treaty, if there's anything to enforce. There is a much larger problem than you biting Chief Swan's daughter. The red headed bloodsucker and another have lashed out on Forks. I imagine when she came and could not track you she decided that a massacre was in order. There was a great battle. Between the two, they killed many of the residents of Forks, including Chief Swan. We were not ready for a pair so powerful. They overwhelmed us and we had to leave."

My thin blood ran cold. How had Alice not seen this? What had possessed Victoria to do such a thing? There were still laws. And if the Volturi detected anything, they would come seeking answers as to why this all happened. Discretion was among the highest command within the vampire legacy. Victoria and the other one would be caught and dismembered for such an act.

And Bella… How was I going to tell her? Her own father… This was not a time to allow my new bout of humanity to break through. I had to be strategic and mechanical. Except I wasn't built for that anymore. I probably had broken that part of my nature when I first laid eyes on Bella.

"We came searching for you." Sam's voice snapped me out of my own thoughts, "We have been trying to track you for days. We think they are going to attack again. We don't know where, but we think that with your family, we may be able to destroy them. These two need to be stopped."

I could tell now. The pack was disheveled. Their once russet skin was sallow looking. And there were scars on their arms and bare chests. No one said the way vampires attack was civilized. I winced. I had been able to do that once. I probably still could.

"We can overlook it if the treaty was broken—if your family will come back with us and fight," Sam offered.

That stunned me. I searched their minds again, and there it was. Real proof about the massacre. Scenes from each of their minds gave me insight into the fights. Victoria and this new vampire picking random houses and feeding on innocent victims. Then I saw what had happened to Charlie. My eyes slammed shut automatically, trying to dispel the memory. But I couldn't. The new one had attacked him while he was asleep… my whole body ached at the thought. Bella's chance to see her father was gone.

"Allow me to talk to my family," I choked out, strangling on the memories that were not my own, "There are others that are better equipped to fight these two. Fleets that will come and investigate the carnage and then dispose of them. They might be better in this situation than us."

"Oh please. You're just saying that because you don't want to work with us," Jacob piped up. I rolled my eyes at his cavalier attitude. Although, he had a point. If we didn't work with them, then Bella wouldn't have to be close to him.

"Jacob, stand down," Sam growled and then turned to me, "Please, feel free to talk with your family. If we don't take care of these two, they could do—severe damage. We're here to protect. We have to try to do our job. Any way we can." He stressed the last words.

"I'll try not to be long." I nodded, walking back towards the house. I could hear both the wolves thoughts and my family's waiting for me in the front living area. It was like a clash of the Titans. The only thoughts I wanted to hear, I couldn't.

This new hybrid of human and vampire did not change the fact that I couldn't hear Bella's thoughts. They were the only ones I wanted to hear because she would be the deciding factor of this case. No doubt about it. If she wanted to fight with them, we all would.

Alice met me at the door with a pained look on her face.

'_I didn't tell her what we heard about Charlie. Just that Victoria was terrorizing people in Forks. It should come from you. You need to tell her __**now. **__We can wait._'

I didn't want to respond to Alice. I could hear the others' thoughts, too. Worry for Bella. Rage at what had happened. Confusion on what to do. I could feel the steady streams of emotion that Jasper held in for Bella's sake. Every reaction that I had come to expect from my family was there, in the confines of their thoughts. I would take Bella upstairs and she would hear this from me. All of it.

Before anyone could react I came into the room and approached Bella. Everyone's sorrow for Bella was barely contained by Jasper. She didn't even _know_. I wish that I hadn't been the first to know.

"Bella, I need to speak with you in private." I barely murmured.

"Alright," she nodded. My face must have been enough. She didn't ask questions or put up a fight. She just allowed me to lead her to our room.

"What's wrong? Why is everyone so quiet?" Bella grasped the front of my shirt when we were behind closed doors.

"Bella, I have something to tell you, but I'm not sure how." I fought the emotions that were within me. I had to be strong for this. I wrapped my arms around her, hoping the solidity of her body would give me some stability.

"Just tell me. Don't beat around the bush or try to soften the blow. Just tell me." She pressed her face into my chest.

"Charlie's dead." I whispered into her hair, "A new vampire—possibly the one that had been in Seattle—was with Victoria when she started terrorizing Forks. He—he killed Charlie."

I felt the tears pouring through my shirt and I held her closer, her sobs shaking both of us. All these emotions were so new to me. Emotions of this magnitude had been new to me when I first met Bella, but the newness of our current situation left me vulnerable to them once again, in a new way. I felt so torn up inside. It was overwhelming. And I didn't know what to do. That was the most frustrating part of it all.

"I _knew_ this was going to happen. I let down my defenses and left everyone vulnerable." She was blubbering, "I'm so selfish."

"Don't say that. You are always sacrificing for others." It sounded lame coming out of my mouth. But I had no other defense. I felt so helpless. I couldn't do anything but hold her. Allow her to feel the tangibility of my presence.

We stood like that for an insurmountable amount of time. I knew if we didn't discuss this issue with my family soon and make an appearance we would have impatient wolves knocking on our door.

"Bella, they want all of us to go back with them and help them destroy Victoria and the other one. They weren't strong enough to do it themselves. They think together we would be able to." I told her. No need to mince words now. It would not help any of us in the long run.

"No." she whispered, "I will not ask your family to endanger themselves anymore."

"Bella, if you are planning on endangering yourself in any way, don't think that my family will stand by and watch." I said evenly, knowing it was true.

Then I realized she still didn't think of my family as her own. After two years of complete chaos, she still considered herself an outsider. That had to change. With forever on our horizon, there was no way that I was going to allow her to keep herself separate from all of us. I'm sure she didn't do it intentionally, but it still hurt a little. Another of those ridiculous human emotions that were resurfacing.

"And Bella, start thinking of them as your own family. I know you have an inner monologue calling them _my_ family… but they are yours. Ours. And they love you. They're not going to let you do anything without them now. Let's go talk to them."

I didn't want her to sulk or pout or wallow in all this news. If we were going to do something, we were going to have to do it soon. There was no telling what Victoria would do, and with a new vampire on the loose the possibilities were endless.

When we walked back into the living room Esme engulfed us in one of her comforting hugs. Then everyone surrounded us. A moment of sorrow filled the room with silence. Bella sniffled and buried her face in my shirt again. I was so thankful to have such a strong family.

"Bella," Carlisle addressed her as they all stepped away and stood in loose formation around us, "What would you have us do?"

I watched her tear stained face, so pained, but I saw the determined set of her jaw. The fire in her eyes. Her body, rigid under my embrace. She was able to fight this time. Able to do something.

At first, I thought this was a new Bella. My mind was clouded with the images of Bella's immediate reaction to leaving her. Distant. Lifeless. Mechanical. I had seen it, no matter how hard I had tried to stay out of Alice's head and visions. Bella had been broken inside when I left her.

Then I thought of the previous months. Italy and how she had barely blinked when Alice asked her to come and get me. Her own change and the way she pushed everything aside to figure out what was wrong with me. Carlisle had told me how she had been the pillar of strength for the family during those times.

She wasn't a different person. She was Bella. There was no immediate action she could have taken a year ago. I had effectively broken her heart when I left. She was reacting to that pain. She couldn't do anything to stop me.

Now she could do something. She was a person who took action when it needed to be taken. I shouldn't have been surprised at this realization. Hadn't Bella come to Forks so that her mother wouldn't be distressed by her husband's absence? Hadn't she gotten a job when she realized she would need money for college? It was ridiculous to believe she would do anything but go and fight.

"_I_ am going to go fight with them." She said, hiccupping through a fresh batch of tears, "But I don't want to force anyone else into anything."

I could hear their thoughts roar suddenly. Mostly, distaste for the idea of Bella going alone. Some hurt because she didn't think that everyone would go. I was surprised at Rosalie's thoughts, though. They were angry.

"Bella, don't you dare think that we aren't going with you." She piped up. I knew Rosalie's mind well. She was usually caught up in herself. Worried about how anything would affect her lifestyle and looks. It was refreshing to hear her thinking about someone besides herself and Emmett. It would be a huge change that I'd have to get used to.

I could hear what was going to say to Bella. She needed to hear it and I was ecstatic to hear it come from Rosalie who had been least supportive before.

"You are a part of this family now. There is no way we're going to let you go anywhere or do anything to endanger yourself," Rosalie shook her head. "No matter that your physical structure and strength and speed are all enhanced now. You don't have the super sensitive hearing, or a strong sense of smell. We don't even know if you have a gift that you could tap into. It's not safe for you to go alone. It's not safe for you and Edward to go. Edward could still be very weak."

I frowned at that, no matter how true it rang. I didn't want to be reminded of my weaknesses. This was not the time to have an inferiority complex, though, so I pushed the rebellious thought away.

"Bella, there is no way we're letting either of you out of our sight." Emmett was agreeing with Rosalie, "So if you're going with the wolves, we're going too. This is a whole new level. We're going to tear them up and spread their ashes all over Forks."

Typical Emmett. The others agreed, in not so aggressive tones, that they would follow Bella's lead. She looked to me. Like I was going anywhere but where she was.

"Bella, you are stuck with me for eternity. Nothing could keep me from you." I whispered, pulling her close to me.

Without much more discussion, I was sent back out to talk to the wolves.

**A/N- Kind of long, huh? Well, just like Stephenie's said before, Edward's point of view makes everything longer. He's a thinker and since it's in his point of view we get to hear his thoughts. Yay! And my apologies at Charlie's death. I was reluctant to do it before, but now I know it will be integral in later chapters.**

**Anyways, I have just been accepted into a two week summer work program for the last full week of July and the first week of August. So there'd better be some mad reviewing because if you want this story completed, it'll most likely have to be done before then. **


	3. Chapter 2

**A/N- This is an important announcement from the department of writing here at Leiahlaloa enterprises. Writer's block has set in. Now don't worry… chapter four is practically finished, so you guys will have a good flow of chapters here this weekend. **

**But I'm lacking inspiration. I think I'm going to have to take a break and read a book that has nothing to do with vampires or superheroes or what have you or something. **

**I also want to whine for a minute. I have watched the stats for my stories. Each of them has at least over 200 hits. That's wonderful. I'm grateful for so much exposure. My problem is readers who put me on their story alerts or author alerts or whatever, and then they don't even review! I am notified every time this happens, guys. And it wouldn't be such a problem if there weren't so many people that I KNOW are reading the story without reviewing. **

**If you like my story, please tell me. (End rant)**

**As usual, I continue not to own Twilight, New Moon, Eclipse, or any of the characters within their pages. I only own the characters which I create. Now please, feel free to enjoy this very LONG chapter.**

I made arrangements with the Quileutes and they disappeared. We were to meet them at the house in Forks in the morning. So we would have to leave quickly.

"What's the strategy?" Jasper asked me, as we were packing up the vehicles.

"Once we are all back at the house we are supposed to begin tracing Victoria's whereabouts and pinpoint their location. The new vampire is very smart. I have seen him in their minds. I've been thinking about it and I would guess that his gift is hunting. Pure and simple. The very thing we are is the very thing he's best at. That is why he is so powerful. Because his whole existence is the feral need to hunt and kill." I shook my head, "There's no telling what could happen. Not even Alice can tell."

Jasper's thoughts confirmed my statement. He had been worried about Alice because she was getting no clear picture of what would happen and it frustrated her. She was trying to see what would happen, but it seemed to be no use. We were all changing our minds so quickly that her premonitions were going crazy.

"We're strong. We can handle it." Jasper's touch made me realize his power's effects on me. What had once been a gentle wave of calm or happiness before had turned into a jolt. I imagine that it had to do with my being this hybrid creature that I was, but it still caught me by surprise every time.

"Thank you, Jasper," I sighed and knocked his hand away, "But I need to think clearly. It would be nice to stay in a protective bubble, but with Bella and I being somewhat vulnerable, we're going to have to plan how to cover up the weak links. I don't want them to know there are chinks in our armor."

"You won't be," Jasper clapped his hand on my shoulder once more and murmured, "One for the road." The calm zapped me into a false sense of security for a few moments. Then I saw Bella coming towards me.

I was worried about her. She had been quiet and withdrawn since we'd been packing. I had barely laid a hand on her because she seemed to want to be alone. It was so frustrating not knowing what she was thinking. I would just have to wait until she wanted to talk. I could be patient. Maybe.

I was surprised that she spoke up when the cars were packed.

"Can Edward and I ride alone in the Volvo?" her voice was a little more than a whisper, but it was enough that everyone heard.

_You'll tell us if you get tired?_ Carlisle's thoughts were clear among the buzzing. I nodded once. He led Esme to the Mercedes. Jasper, Alice, Rosalie and Emmett piled into the M3, leaving Bella and I to the Volvo.

I opened the passenger door for her and helped her in. The slight touch sent shivers through my body. I smiled minutely at the small wonder. Almost two years and I still thrilled at her touch. It made me hungry to touch her again. As soon as I had the car in gear I reached for her hand, hoping that somehow, the small contact would help both of us.

"Is there something you want to talk about?" I asked, as we were driving along.

"Edward," Bella's words were a mere whisper. "There was no one to take care of the funeral arrangements. As much as I want to fight, I want Charlie to have a proper burial. With me there to mourn. It's selfish and needless, but it will make me feel better."

"If that's what you want, we can take care of that while we're there." I nodded, "Is that what you wanted to talk to me about?" I couldn't believe that was it.

"No," she hesitated, watching me until I locked eyes with her, "We need to come to terms with the fact that if we have to break up in search parties, you and I will have to split up."

Her words were like my undoing. The overwhelming urge to turn around and go back to the stone house almost made me make a u-turn. Was she insane? Did she really think that I would just agree with her? No way was she ever getting out of my sight while we were in the vicinity of Victoria and that—beast of a vampire. No.

"Edward, it's the only way." She must have felt my tension. "With my limited experience in… attacks and your current unbalanced state… we're like a walking nightmare… without the fangs." I would have smiled at that, if she hadn't been so serious.

I tried to breathe, tried to calm myself down. I even tried to tap into Jasper's calm, but he was two cars ahead of me. It was no use. These feelings were so overwhelming. I remember that I used to tell Bella she couldn't feel one iota of what I felt for her. Now I knew how wrong that statement was. Everything that I had felt before was magnified by a thousand times in my half human state. My heart surged when she entered a room. My whole torso ignited when she touched me. As difficult as it was to be away from her when she had been human and I had been a vampire, I don't know what it would feel like as this creature I'd been turned into. Separation was a four letter word.

All of that was being poured into this one moment. She had made a simple observation. And I knew she was right. But I felt so much that even thinking about her being away from me on a hunt drove me crazy. And those—dogs being on the hunt with her, made me want to roar in frustration. All those emotions continued to take hold of me.

Her cool hands on my face made me realize that I had almost left my own body I was so overcome.

"Do you want me to drive?" her voice sounded distant. I focused on breathing in and out, trying to gain a hold on my overpowering emotions.

"No." I choked out, keeping my eyes on the road.

"Talk to me. Tell me what's going on in that beautiful head of yours," she was kneeled in the passenger seat and stroking my hair, trying to bring me back to myself.

"I—I think it must be this whole human thing— all these emotions… ones I've never felt as a vampire, are raring their ugly heads. As much as I was protective of you as a vampire, I feel even more responsible now. Even more frightened. Confused. It's like I'm trying to breathe, but nothing seems to help." I confessed.

"Now you know what I feel like everyday." She smiled in satisfaction, but her face turned somber at once, "I understand. It's like your being strangled. I've felt it."

"How do you deal with this day in and day out? I don't remember ever owning the severity of these emotions." I sighed, feeling a little better with each mile we drove.

"I guess it has to do with the fact that you grow into the emotions as a human. They aren't just all of the sudden there. It's a gradual uprising. You didn't have it so easy." She sighed.

"Bella, I'm not sure that I'm able to let you out of my sight." I whispered, still half choking on the sensation that was pressing against my ribcage.

"Well, then let's hope that we don't have to break up into search parties. Ok?" She tried to console me. It didn't feel much better, but I would try to hold onto the false comfort that I felt in imagining that we wouldn't have to break up at all.

"Why don't you call ahead and start the funeral arrangements?" I suggested, trying to keep our minds off of what was to come. I reached in my jacket pocket and pulled out a cell phone.

"Who would I call first?" she asked, perplexed.

"You could call Charlie's house. There may be someone there." I suggested. It was possible. And if there was no one there, Forks only had one funeral home.

She nodded and began dialing. There was someone there. She talked quietly into the phone, identifying herself. Whoever was there seemed to know her. She even laughed for a moment.

It was like an oasis in a dessert to hear her musical little laugh. It calmed me like Jasper never could. I relaxed a little and felt better knowing I could drive with a clearer mind.

"That was Jessica's mom," She smiled wanly at me, "She said they'd been taking turns waiting at the house for me to call. Charlie apparently had already set up some sort of funeral arrangements in a will so everything's been taken care of. There won't be a viewing. We'll be allowed to come an hour early and see him. Then the funeral will take place at the Lutheran church and they'll bury him in the family plot there."

"Are you alright?" I asked, taking her hand in mine again and squeezing. She leaned her head on my shoulder and sighed.

"I will be, when we rip that vampire to shreds." Her voice was dark. We were quiet for a while after that. It seemed to be enough to just be together alone. I got sleepy once or twice and Bella had surely drifted off during the drive. We were over the Canadian border before I spoke again, when I was sure she was awake.

"Do you ever wonder if you'll have a gift?" I asked suddenly. It was something I had been thinking about lately.

"I have, but I figured that if it hadn't surfaced by now it was probably one of the things I lost. That or what I brought with me was my intense love for you." She smirked.

"Wow… I'm flattered." I laughed.

"It's possible." She shrugged. It truly was possible. Esme had brought her own ability to love with abandon. And Carlisle's gift was compassion. Not every gift had to be all that supernatural.

"Well, it doesn't matter to me. As long as you are here with me." I kissed her forehead.

"Don't worry. You aren't going to get rid of me." She looked out the window, "We're almost to Forks," Bella realized. We had driven through the night and morning was dawning. No sun to greet us though.

"Yes. The turn off to the house is just up the road here." I pointed. And with our driving we would be there in seconds.

As we pulled up the drive, I could see the pack waiting, fully clothed and human. They were just at the edge of the forest. Carlisle was parked and out of his car before anyone, approaching them.

_Edward, stay in your car. I would like to speak with them. And stay out of my thoughts. _Carlisle came close enough so I could hear his thoughts.

"Carlisle wants us to stay here." I informed Bella. I was kind of aggravated at being barred from his thoughts. It was my only line into the conversation.

"Why?" her posture was immediately indignant.

"He didn't tell me. He just wants us to stay here." I watched as Carlisle shook Sam's hand and began speaking. I admired Carlisle. He had such an easy way with anyone he encountered. I remember when he first drew up the treaty with the Quileutes. He was so convincing and had been genial, even though my very instinct had been to rip into them.

He was just as amiable now. I could tell by his slow, human like motions that he was making every effort he could to show he was trying to cooperate with them. I just wish I knew what he was saying. I saw Jacob frown. Bella must have seen it, as well.

"What is he saying?" Bella knit her brows in frustration.

"I don't know. Without the enhanced hearing I'm just as much in the dark as you." I sighed, "And Carlisle banished me from his thoughts."

The wolves fell back into the woods at Carlisle's obvious dismissal. He approached the vehicles again and smiled warily. I took that as a signal that we could get out.

"What was that all about?" Bella asked as soon as she was out of the confines of the car.

"I'm the head of this family, Bella. I should be taking care of those things. Not Edward." Carlisle put on an easy smile. He was blocking my mind reading. Everyone was. This could not be good, "Now let's get inside and settled so we can talk."

"What is he planning?" Bella asked me as soon as we were in my room, behind the closed door.

"I don't know. He was blocking me. They all are. This is ridiculous. He is planning something. And I have a feeling we're not going to like it." I yawned.

"Oh… you should have let me take a turn driving. You're tired." Bella slid her arms around my waist.

"I was fine. I am just a little tired now." I shrugged, hugging her back. But I yawned again, "That is very annoying. Almost a hundred years without yawning. I could have done without it another hundred years."

"Come on, let's get unpacked so that we can go downstairs." Bella prodded. I reluctantly let go of her and we unpacked at warp speed. I made space for her in my closet. It was a nice feeling. Needing to make space. Knowing that there was someone to share the closet with. And all of her clothing smelled like her. I would enjoy my closet more than ever.

Before long we were all settled around the dining room table and everyone was looking at Bella and me. And still blocking me.

"Edward, Bella—we want you to know that we aren't trying to create a conspiracy against you. We just want you both to be safe," Carlisle began, "After discussing it during the drive we all think it would be best if you both had as little to do with this hunt as possible."

I felt Bella tense up beside me. She wanted to do this herself. I had known that from the beginning. To be excluded from the hunt would drive her insane. She knew that she would have responsibilities for her father's funeral, but to be completely forbidden—it would not work with her strong will.

"Jasper was checking out the news stories about Charlie on his laptop. Apparently, Charlie's death is being slated as murder. And they're listing suspects. Unfortunately, both of you are in that list." Alice looked apologetic.

No wonder they had been blocking their thoughts from me. Bella and I were suspects in the murder of her father.

"WHAT?" Bella almost screeched.

"Why?" I asked. My mind was feeling a little hazy. Exhaustion coupled with anxiety was a new combination for me. I didn't like it very much.

"It didn't say why you were being listed as a suspect. It only listed your names. Probably because you were MIA for these past months." Jasper explained.

"So you just need us as alibis. It'll be pretty simple." Emmett shrugged.

"That's not the point!" Bella exclaimed, "I've been accused of my own father's murder. This is ridiculous." I reached over to grasp Bella's hand. She leveled a look at me, but her face softened at once.

"I wish I'd seen this coming," Alice sighed, "But we've been so focused on you guys getting better and balanced that none of us have paid much attention to the outside world."

"I wonder why Mrs. Stanley didn't mention it." Bella chewed on her lip.

"It was probably a sore subject. They're right. We have alibis. We don't have to worry about any of that." I consoled her, "But we need to address our banishment from the search for Victoria and her _friend_." I turned to the rest of them, "Why would you think that you could keep us away from it? What are we supposed to do? Sit here and wait?" My voice raised an octave. My temper was about to flair.

"Edward, you underestimate us." Esme smiled humorlessly, "You both will have many responsibilities and appearances to keep up. The funeral. The trial probably," That explanation cooled my anger a bit. Esme turned her eyes towards Bella, "Charlie probably left everything to you. You'll have to decide what you want to do with his estate. Sort through his possessions. You need time to mourn. And Edward should be with you."

"We can take care of finding Victoria," Emmett assured us, "You need to take care of everything on the public front. Carlisle and Esme will come forward when you need your alibi. Let us take care of you."

I looked at Bella. I didn't particularly care to be left out of the hunt, but they had a good point. And I was beyond leaving Bella alone while Victoria and this other vampire were lurking around.

"You're right," Bella nodded, "That doesn't change the fact that I don't like all of you fighting my battle. But I do have plenty of things to take care of."

"Bella, you are a part of this family. We stick together." Jasper frowned, "We would never make you deal with all of this by yourself."

I mentally applauded Jasper. Bella had needed to hear that.

"I'll make you a deal," Bella countered, "I'll take care of everything I need to take care of and if you still haven't found Victoria by then, I'm joining the hunt."

"We're joining the hunt," I corrected. My family's thoughts were now clear. They just wanted us to be safe. I knew that. But they didn't care for our participation.

_It's suicidal Edward. We don't know how indestructible either of you are anymore. _Emmett's thoughts were loud demanding my attention. _And after all this trouble we've gone through, we're not losing you or her._

"Let's just hope that we find them before Edward and Bella are done playing human." Emmett said, gazing warily at me.

"If that's what you want," Carlisle nodded.

"It is." Bella agreed.

A part of me hoped that they would find them before we had time to, but some intuition borrowed from Alice told me not to count on it.

**A/N- I'm still editing the other two chapters that are… kind of finished. So just be patient. I'll try to get some perspective and get back to writing. Reviews might just help the process. Is there something that bothers you about this whole thing? Tell me. It'll probably help to generate some writing steam. **


	4. Chapter 3

**A/N- Here's the next chapter that I promised. And I would just like to say thank you for the positive response I've been getting. Seriously, guys, I think that feedback is what gets my writing going. **

**So, without further adieu, I tell you that I am three chapters ahead already. Chapter 4 and 5 are in editing right now and Chapter 6 is being written. Be patient. It's just as difficult and long to edit as it is to write. I'm hoping to have Chapter 4 up tomorrow! **

**(Oh and thank you for the response to my hissy fit. I know that sometimes you're tired of putting "That was a great chapter!" or whatever. It's monotonous. But sometimes it's what gets the writing steam rolling.)**

**Remember that as usual, I don't own Twilight, New Moon, Eclipse or the characters that are within their pages. I only own any characters that I create. **

I had not known how much red tape there was with the accusation of a murder. By the time Carlisle, Esme, Bella and I walked out of the courthouse, we had all been questioned separately, then together, then separately again. Of course, there were also stacks of paperwork to complete. Statements and liability signatures. Contact information. It made me impatient. Humans have far too much hassle in their lives.

Afterwards, Bella and I were ordered to bed. Esme had taken one look at our faces and wouldn't be deterred from sending us to my room. I was glad. As much as Bella wanted to be a superhero and as much as I wanted to be her superhero, neither of us was up to our usual superhero status.

Unfortunately, as Bella fell into a peaceful slumber against me, my sleepiness wore off and I was left with my thoughts. I was used to this. I had been without sleep and without true companionship for almost a hundred years before I met Bella. But ever since my change I had doubted myself more. My body was so unpredictable.

No, unpredictable wasn't the right word. I was just—weaker. It was hard enough to admit in my head, but I'd slipped up earlier, almost having to confess it out loud. We had been unloading and when I tried to pick up the six boxes Bella had taken out of the car, I had felt the weight. It had frightened me.

And they wondered why I hadn't wanted to stay in that bed back at the stone house. My thoughts got the best of me sometimes. It was situations such as that one that made me anxious.

And Bella… I worried about her as well. She had not had the time we all had to adapt to her new enhanced body. Or to get used to the idea of being what we were. No matter how much time she had thought about it as a human, I was not sure that she had thought about it much since she'd been changed. She had been too preoccupied with me and my problems.

And all these emotions. The anxiety that came in waves… the heightened fear for Bella… the confusion… the wonder. I had barely had time to register them, and yet they all crashed on me everyday. Was this what it was like to be human? I hadn't thought it would be much different. Actually I hadn't thought about it at all. I had accepted my immortality and all its… necessities. I'd never thought of being able to go back even if it was just half way.

Bella turned in her sleep, hugging me tighter and sighing. Half way was perfect if it meant I was right here, holding the beautiful angel that had fallen for me. Me… the monster.

I looked out the window. It was dark outside, night. Was I a monster anymore, now that I didn't rely on blood as my source of nourishment? Another source of anxiety. An identity crisis.

I wasn't sure that all of this was helpful at the moment. Searching for Victoria and this new vampire meant we all needed clear heads. Maybe my family was right to try to keep both of us away from the hunt. Me, because I _was_ still getting used to the differences in my body and my mind. Bella, because she was far too emotionally involved.

But where she was, I would be. No matter what. Every time I thought of her being in a search party with any of the pack, my blood boiled. First of all, it was extraordinary that I had blood to boil. And secondly, while it was not new that I was so protective of Bella, there was a strange, novel sensation that built up in my chest thinking about it.

Sometime during my musings, Carlisle's thoughts came very close. He was right outside the door.

_They seem to be sleeping. No sounds within. It's still so odd to hear two heartbeats in this house. No matter how faint they seem. It defies all laws, known and unknown. Maybe it's best that we just leave for the hunt without their conscious knowledge. It will hurt us not to have Edward and his ability, but we will make due. There is no need to put him in danger. Either of them. _

I wouldn't stop them. I didn't have to admit it out loud, but they were right. I waited a few minutes, listening to the others' thoughts. Apparently, Esme had decided to stay behind and baby sit us. That was like her. But then I heard the wolves. All of them. And they were bringing their jumbled thoughts with them.

I finally sorted it all out, using Carlisle's thoughts as a base. The wolves had tracked Victoria as far as the Seattle suburbs. They had not dared to go any further. It seemed that Carlisle and Alice would begin there. Esme was staying here with us, obviously. The others were going to cover the rim of Seattle and look for traces.

My gift would not be quite so helpful in a large city, anyways. There were too many people for me to distinguish one or two sets of thoughts. Especially with them being so unfamiliar.

I heard Jacob's thoughts, full of malice and disdain, when Carlisle informed him that we were upstairs asleep. I half smiled. He had pictured us in separate beds. How quaint of him.

As if there was a bed in my room for both of us to sleep on. I frowned. I knew we wouldn't stay here. But we were keeping the house. So if Bella and I ever came back, we might consider getting rid of the couch in favor of a bed.

And then everyone's thoughts began to fade away. They were leaving. Esme's musings trailed closer. She was moving to the upstairs. And I heard her with my own almost weak hearing sitting down right in front of my door. I was shocked to hear her address me in her thoughts.

_Edward, I know you're awake. You've been awake. Your heartbeat gives you away. It's faster than Bella's. _

I sighed. I'm sure she heard it.

_I know that you're worried about everyone, but you need to understand just as much as Bella that we would do anything for you. Anything! And your safety is our business. So, yes, everyone has left. Go to sleep. I have a cell phone and I'm waiting for calls. If anything happens I'll wake you both up._

I closed my eyes. Everything was under control. I needed to sleep. I shifted Bella ever so slightly, so I could bury my face in her hair and forced myself to drift off.

It seemed like minutes later that I was opening my eyes to the light that filtered through window. I glanced down and my attention was caught by the chocolate brown depths that I loved so much.

"Good morning," I smiled. She must have just woken up. Her eyes still held their sleepiness. I was distracted for a moment, memorizing those features. Often, I was distracted by the differences that appeared there. Where her chin used to have a soft curve, there was a subtle angle. The planes of her face were sharper than before.

"What are you thinking?" she asked, reaching a hand up to play with my hair.

"Just—I suppose I'm still surprised by the way you look." I shrugged against her.

"I wonder what would have happened if I had turned full on vampire." She mused.

"I'm not sure." I answered, "You'd probably look just the same. As beautiful as ever."

"Oh how you flatter me," she frowned, "Why is the house so quiet?"

"Everyone but Esme went on the search last night." I sighed, "They deliberately left while they thought we were asleep."

"How long ago?" she asked.

"I'm not sure. It was sometime last night. I think Esme watches us far too much while we sleep."

"Why do you say that?" she asked.

"Because she knew I was still awake when they left. She came up and informed me that she could hear my heartbeat… that it was faster than yours. It's simple medical science. I'm still trying to figure out why Carlisle didn't know I was awake, but she knew and confirmed in her mind that they had left." I shifted so that we could sit up.

"Do you know where they were going?" she wrapped her arms around my waist and settled her head on my chest.

I filled her in on what little I had discerned, unconsciously threading my fingers through her hair. By then, Esme decided to make an appearance.

"Did you sleep well?" she folded herself into a sitting position on the carpet.

"I hadn't realized how tired I was," Bella nodded.

"The funeral home called. They wanted you to know that you can come at noon for the viewing." Esme's face was schooled into a passive glance. I could hear her thoughts and how hurt she was for Bella.

"Has anyone called in?" Bella asked. I could tell she didn't want to think about the funeral or her father or anything of that nature.

"Carlisle did once. He was just checking in. They are trying to be very careful because the search is within a city full of people. I'm glad that your brothers and sisters hunted while we were at the courthouse. That will surely help them." Esme, always the positive thinker.

"What time is it now?" I asked. If we were supposed to be at the church at noon, then we probably needed to start getting ready.

"Ten." Esme answered, automatically.

"Well, I'm going to go get in the shower," Bella announced.

"Take your time." I called after her, as she walked towards the connecting bathroom.

"How is she?" Esme asked as soon as Bella was out of hearing range.

"She seems to be fine, but" I tapped my temple, "I know just as well as anyone. I take it as a good sign if she can sleep. If it were plaguing her, she would not have fallen asleep so fast last night, I think."

"Yes. That is a good sign." Esme agreed sitting next to me on the couch.

"She's just determined to get it all done and then go hunt Victoria." I grimaced.

"Well, let's hold out hope that the search parties will find them, first." Esme patted my cheek.

I only hoped that Bella could get through the next few days.

**A/N- I hope you are enjoying Edward's POV. I have enjoyed channeling him. As always, reviews are a wonderful thing. I get some great ideas from them. Have a great weekend! **


	5. Chapter 4

**A/N- Alright, so chapter 3 was really short and I promised chapter 4 today anyways. I just decided that it would be in the morning. (I have a family reunion to go to today, so I don't know when I'll get back. Might be late tonight.)**

**Anything that I need to say about this chapter…skims down reading Hmm.. shrugs. There are a few things that I may never address. Things that I placed in the story for convenience. If you REALLY need explanations on those, make sure you put them in the reviews, or PM me. I'll either address them personally, or try to address them within the rest of the story. Sometimes things just happen. We don't question why Steph's vampires sparkle, now, do we?**

**I continue not to own Twilight, New Moon, Eclipse and the characters that fall within those pages. I only own the thoughts and characters that come out of my head and make it onto the page. **

"Everyone is here," Bella whispered to Esme and me. We were conveniently situated in the balcony of the church watching as people filtered in to the sanctuary. Bella had barely looked at Charlie earlier. I had given him an obligatory glance, glad to see that they had dressed him in a suit. The high collar hid the bite marks that were inevitably there.

I was still very regretful for this unfortunate oversight. I had not been awake to consider all the ramifications of our departure from Forks. I don't know when we had all been so careless, especially with everything that had been swirling around Forks at the time.

I suddenly wondered why there hadn't been more question as to what Charlie's cause of death was. He had been sucked dry—otherwise he would not be lying in a coffin, still and peaceful. I had pondered this earlier, while we were driving back to Forks, but had been distracted by other matters.

I had read the police report myself. It said that there were bite marks and evidence of a snapped neck, but it hadn't clearly stated the reason Charlie died. It still really did not make sense that they had accused Bella and I of murder either.

I chalked it up to being a small town. It was more entertaining for humans to speculate what had caused Charlie's untimely death than to know the actual reason. I imagined that if they knew the actual reason, they would not feel so comfortable in their skin.

"We are at some point going to go down there, right?" I raised an eyebrow at Bella. I was trying to put those thoughts out of my mind.

"Yes," she hissed, "But I don't want to go down there where they can question me, with their eyes or their mouths. Not when we still have fifteen minutes until the funeral starts."

"Are you alright?" I asked, pulling her closer to me, "How are you doing with all of this?" I made a wide sweeping motion.

"It's still kind of surreal." She admitted, "I think it'll really hit when we go to the house and I see all of his stuff."

"That's understandable, dear," Esme murmured from her seat beside me.

"Is there some sort of police salute that will be going on during the funeral?" I asked.

"I remember someone telling me something about that." Bella nodded. We sat in the balcony, watching as more people came in. Soon the only seats available were reserved for us.

"I suppose we should go down," Bella sighed, "I just want to get through this and deal with everything later."

She sounded so broken. So fragile. How did she think she was going to face two menacing vampires like that? I stomped down my never ending impression that I should spirit Bella away to someplace where she would be safe and able to sort out everything.

We moved down out of the balcony towards the row reserved for family. I had been surprised that Bella's mother wasn't there. I know that Renee and Charlie were divorced, but it just seemed wrong. I noticed all the stares that we were receiving as Bella and I walked hand in hand down the center aisle. Esme trailed slightly behind.

I could hear the thoughts that came with those stares. Accusations flew from the minds of some of the citizens straight at me. There were many still convinced that I had something to do with Charlie's death. Others held sympathy for Bella. Billy Black was there and his thoughts were filled with the same malice that he had always had for me. I didn't take any of it personally. I was still a stranger as far as they were concerned. A polite stranger that had lived there for two years. And a vampire to Billy.

Some of our classmates were there. Mike Newton was sitting with his parents. Tyler Crowley sat off to one side. Angela Webber was there with her boyfriend Ben. They were all staring at us in curiosity, though. They wanted to know what had happened in the time we had been gone. I had noticed that Angela stretched to see our intertwined hands. Hoping to catch a glimpse of a wedding band. I smiled internally. I had been entertaining thoughts along the same lines, before the wolf pack appeared on our front lawn.

Bella leaned heavily against me as the funeral started. Much of the time I busied myself making sure that Bella wasn't falling apart. I kept my eyes on her face. It was the greatest indicator. But her features remained schooled. Something akin to pride bloomed within me at her bravery. She was so strong. Even when the pastor addressed her as Charlie's family she just nodded, a small frown on her face.

The worst part was after the graveside. We walked behind the coffin, which was being carried by six police officers, out into the graveyard. After a few words were said over the grave, the group began breaking up. People began approaching us, offering Bella condolences. I vaguely recognized every face.

"Bella, if you need help with anything—getting your dad's house in order—or just something to eat, I hope you'll call me." Angela offered when she and Ben approached us.

"Thank you, Angela. That's very sweet. I'm not sure what's going to happen." Bella had plastered a wan smile that fooled everyone but me.

"Well, you know my number if you need anything." Angela hugged Bella, "And you," she addressed me, "Take care of her."

"Don't worry. I will." I assured her. That was the first thing on my priority list.

"She's very well taken care of," Esme chimed from her position beside me.

"They never let me out of their sight. I'll be fine, Ang." Bella choked out a laugh for her friend's sake.

We were able to go home shortly after. During the final moments we were at the church, the town's lawyer had approached Bella with Charlie's will. He had left everything to her, as predicted, and there was no reason for a will reading.

It was surprising to find the rest of the family back at the house when we returned. Emmett's Jeep and Carlisle's Mercedes were both parked in the driveway.

"Rosalie and Emmett saw them for a few seconds before they disappeared into a crowd. I'm glad that someone saw them. It reassures us that they are still in the area." Carlisle informed us once we were all settled in the living room, "Thankfully, it has been overcast all day, so we didn't have to find cover."

"The only reason we're back at all is because the wolves were beginning to tire." Alice shrugged.

"I still wish that I could have followed them," Emmett grumbled. I saw Emmett's imagination running wild with what he wanted to do to Victoria and the new vampire. It was not pretty.

"How was the funeral?" Alice asked, coming closer so she could hug Bella.

"It was fine." Bella shook her head, "There were so many people there. All of them stared. And then they all offered me these fake condolences. As if I hadn't been accused of the murder 24 hours ago." Her expression softened, "Angela was there with Ben. I've missed her. She offered to help with the house."

"She was looking for wedding rings," I chuckled, "When we first came out of the balcony. She leaned forward trying to see our hands." I took quiet pleasure in admitting this. Because it opened the doorway for more discussion.

"No way!" Bella's eyes were wide, "Is that what she thought we would be doing when we ran away? Getting married? We could have stayed here and done that."

I tried not to let my ego bruise and my hope deflate. Bella was still very set against the idea of marriage. At least for the present day. I was beginning to think she was against our marriage because she was afraid I would tire of her presence. I would never tire of her presence. If only she could see that.

"So the pack went back to La Push?" Bella asked, obliterating all thoughts of marriage and bringing forth thoughts of Bella's best friend, Jacob. I had seen his thoughts. As much as I wanted her to stay away from him because of his wolf status, it was also because he had daydreams that rivaled my own. Thoughts of Bella as his girlfriend. And sometimes, when Jacob's name was mentioned, I wondered if Bella didn't have some of the same daydreams when a wayward longing filled her face. I didn't want to let my thoughts stray too far down that path though. I consoled myself with the fact that she chose me.

"Yes. They decided it would be best for them not to linger," Carlisle spoke up.

"When are you going back out?" I wondered allowed.

"Late tonight. We think it will be easier to find them if there are fewer crowds. The closer we are to morning, the fewer people and the less likely we'll be scrutinized." Carlisle nodded.

Conversation flared up in the room. I was about to examine everyone's thoughts. I had barely paid attention to my family's minds lately. But Alice bent forward and grabbed Bella's hand.

When Alice's eyes slipped open, she stared at me in horror. My heart thudded against my chest. Then I saw what Alice had. Her gaze bore into me, giving me perfect access to her mind.

It was Bella in the forest, with Jacob's mangled human form resting in her lap. It wasn't any more specific than that. Nothing in the woods around her to distinguish a location.

"What is it?" Esme asked, breaking the silence that had quieted the room.

"It was Bella—she was in the woods somewhere and Jacob—one of the wolves—was torn up pretty bad, lying in her lap. This is no good." Alice answered.

"Somewhere with Jacob?" Bella asked, seeming stunned.

"Yes." I raised an eyebrow.

"Well, do you think that vision happened because I was thinking about talking to Jacob?" Bella asked. The green eyed monster burned inside of me. My frustrated thoughts about Jacob came back tenfold.

"It could be." Alice nodded.

"Which means that you have to stay away from Jacob, Bella." Emmett frowned. She frowned right back at him.

"It's probably best." Carlisle agreed. I stifled a smile. I did not want Bella to be distressed, but I definitely did not want her to be around Jacob. Alice's vision gave me an easy out.

"So, tell me. How did you get along with the wolves?" I smirked, turning to the others. I had been curious. I mean, they were our enemies. Both our kind and theirs instinctively killed each other. On top of that, Jacob had smelled terrible when we had encountered him in the forest the evening he had gotten Bella grounded. I imagined that it was quite a bit uncomfortable.

"Jasper almost ripped that Paul guy to shreds once." Emmett snickered.

"What?" Bella asked. I could already see the scene, coming from Jasper's current thoughts.

"Yeah, so, we were going down right?" Jasper was all too happy to tell the story and get Alice's mind away from the disturbing vision she'd just had, "And we stop to let Alice and Carlisle off at the neighborhood they tracked Victoria to. We were trying to make plans to meet back up somewhere. Paul got agitated because he thought we were taking too long. I could feel the build up. He was going to freak out on us. So I turned and tried to calm him down. It worked for a minute, but he must have realized what I was doing because he got all defensive again. He almost went wolf on us and he was really close to Alice. So I stalked over between her and Paul and flashed my teeth at him. I didn't do anything." Jasper shrugged, "He was just too close to Alice to be even thinking about doing something like that."

"Come on, you were growling at him, Jasper. You can admit it," Emmett took great pleasure in our brother's display. Carlisle, Alice and Rosalie weren't as impressed.

"Besides that little incident, everything seemed to be under control. Everyone seemed to be under control." Carlisle sighed, "I only hope that we can continue in this forced camaraderie. It isn't as difficult for me as it may be for the rest of you." He sounded a bit apologetic.

"If I keep three or four feet away for them, it's not so bad," Rosalie shrugged. I saw my other brothers and sister nod in agreement, even though I saw them all cringe inwardly. The impulse to attack was still strong within them.

They let Bella in as much as they could on the hunt. I wasn't surprised to see her so adamant about knowing all the details. But I was astounded when she made intelligent suggestions about how they should handle the wolves and what other strategies they might try in the search. Not that I didn't think Bella was intelligent. She just spouted out ideas and thoughts about how to manage everything, as if she'd been thinking about it the entire time, which scared me a little.

Hours later, Bella and I took ourselves up to my room to sleep. It had been a long day. I'm still not sure how she wasn't an emotional wreck at the end of that day. We didn't talk much except to agree that we would go to Charlie's house in the morning. I noticed, though, that she held on to me a little tighter than she had as we fell asleep.

**A/N- Alright, I know that this is slow… I see that it is slow… and I may combine the next two chapters so it won't seem so slow--maybe. I know where I want all of this to end up, but it's taking a while to get there. If Edward's thoughts make this story so long, I'll be amazed to see Midnight Sun and how thick it's going to be.**

**As usual, reviews are a beautiful thing, and they seem to be keeping the writing going here on the home front.**


	6. Chapter 5

**A/N- Woo… after that short break in regularly scheduled writing, here is chapter 5. I'm very pleased with the momentum I'm gaining on the later chapters of this story. I'm almost ready to begin writing chapter 8. Chapter 6 and 7 are in editing right now. I'm sure to have both of those out within the next day or so. **

**By the way, I don't own Twilight, New Moon or Eclipse… nor do I own characters that rest within the pages. I only own this crazy plot. I hope you enjoy this chapter.**

The next morning did not begin well. We woke to a huge commotion on the first floor of the house.

"They haven't left yet?" Bella murmured, her face mashed into my t-shirt. I would have focused on that image if I hadn't been listening for everyone's thoughts. All were accounted for. Jasper and Emmett's minds were particularly active, though I was too sleepy to really decipher any of the actual words.

"It doesn't seem so." I glanced at the window, "Oh—I see. It's sunny."

"That makes sense." Bella hugged herself against me, making me realize exactly how human I was. I had been pushing such thoughts out of my head since I woke up from my coma. I still believed heavily in waiting until marriage, something that had remained of my slightly Victorian upbringing. As a vampire, I had fought the urge for Bella's safety. My strength had been a problem; one that I had allowed Bella to believe was the main reason. But as we grew closer, I had a feeling that it wouldn't be my strength that would break her. It would be my teeth. Now, there was no such obstacle.

"Edward, are you alright?" Bella asked. I had thought about it enough that I had myself back under control by then.

"I'm fine. Let's get up and see what all the noise is downstairs." I nudged her up.

We padded silently down the hall and I got a pretty good picture from Rosalie's mind as to what was going on. Jacob was arguing with Carlisle, Emmett and Jasper. Why hadn't I heard his mind before? I stopped Bella so we could listen just out of sight. I was thankful that she did not question me.

"I just want to see her." Jacob's voice was shrill. I didn't have to look at his mind to understand who he wanted to see.

"Why would you have anything to say to her?" Emmett's voice was just at the verge of a growl, "You were the one that got her grounded in April. I think it's awesome that Bella can ride a motorcycle, but Edward told us that you had given Bella an ultimatum. I'm just surprised that you think you still have a chance."

"We're glad that you kept your distance, for her safety, but you hurt Bella in the process. There's more than one reason that we don't want either of them on the hunt." Jasper finished.

"What's the other reason? To keep us from knowing that one of you did bite her?" Jacob spat. I wondered when this would come up. The wolves had been astonishingly patient about acquiring this piece of information about Bella's humanity. Then again, they had promised the breech of contract would be overlooked if we came and helped them.

"It's what she wanted. And it was in her best interest." Carlisle murmured, "We didn't know that she couldn't be fully turned."

"What do you mean?" Jacob asked.

"Her body was somewhat immune to our venom. We believe that it is residual from the vampire attack she endured during her junior year. The venom within her worked as an antibody, causing partial immunity." Carlisle explained.

Jacob's thoughts turned back to why he was there. It didn't seem to matter to him that Bella was changed, partial or otherwise, but he did file the information away. Jacob's young mind was focused upon mending his relationship with Bella, since he had the chance.

"I never meant to hurt her. And I just—I want to have the chance to make it right. I want to—"

"Want to what, Jacob?" Bella sprinted down the rest of the stairs, "Wanted to try to break Edward and I up again? Wanted to hurt me even more? As soon as this is over, we'll go back to being enemies, remember? Please, tell me what you could want that could be more important than finding those two monsters out there. Because I would really like to know."

As I walked slowly down to join Bella, I took in the shocked thoughts that my family's minds generated. Jasper and Emmett were both gaping at Bella, whose voice had been louder than I had ever heard before. Her posture was radiating with anger. Jacob's thoughts were colored with shame.

"Speechless now?" Bella scowled, "Now that I'm here? Did they not tell you what Alice saw last night? We need to stay as far away from each other as possible." She began to stomp back up the stairs.

"Oh her visions." Jacob's rolled his eyes incredulously, "The cursed gift of a bloodsucker. Why would I trust anything that comes from _her_?" I saw everyone's internal hackles rise at that statement.

Bella's abrupt stop halfway up the stairs distracted them. She fixed a grimace at Jacob.

"That is just great, Jake. Here we are, trying to work together and _you_ are doubting something that we rely on in demanding times, _like this one_." Bella stomped back down the stairs and brushed past me, "You can leave whenever you want, because I have nothing to say to you. Until you can find an ounce of respect for _my_ family, I don't want to see you."

"Bella—please—" Jacob was cut off by a growl that erupted from Bella. Who was this woman? Could it be that Bella had acquired a bit more of a vampire's nature than we imagined?

"Get out." She snarled and then turned away from him stepping into my opened arms. Jacob scowled at me. I gave him a furious look of my own that sent him running out of the house, probably to give in to his anger.

"Is he gone?" Bella asked, after several moments of stunned silence.

"Yes," I answered, as quietly as she had spoken. Her body wracked with sobs then. This was too much for her. Charlie. The wolves. The hunt. She had been holding all of it in for so long. She just threw it at Jacob.

My family stood as statues trying to decide what to do. Their thoughts urged me to make the first move, unsure as to what to do themselves. I barely shook my head at them. She had to let it out. She had been holding it in so long.

It seemed like an eternity that I held her. She seemed so small and fragile when she was like this. My protective impulses multiplied with each cry she emitted. I tried not to blame Jacob. He wasn't completely at fault. It was a mixture of all circumstances surrounding us. But it was almost unforgivable that he'd been the means to her breakdown.

When Bella began hiccupping, I pulled back to look at her.

"Better?" I asked. The love I felt for this woman, this tiny dark haired wonder… was increased at the sight of her tearstained face.

"What has gotten into me?" she whispered, "Am I going insane?" She hastily wiped away the moisture from her cheeks.

"No, I think you finally let go of everything," I kissed her forehead and smoothed her hair back.

"I just blew up at Jacob, didn't I?" she sighed, averting her eyes towards the front door.

"Yes, you did." I confirmed.

"Well, he deserved it." She huffed, "He refuses to see me all this time and NOW he wants to see me, after Alice has seen him in a vision torn to pieces? No," she shook her head, "He's crazy if he thinks I'll talk to him now."

"Bella, calm down. You're going to get upset again." I murmured. The rest of the family had begun to move around, trying not to seem like eavesdroppers.

"I'm just angry." Bella sighed. "And sad and tired. Maybe I should go try to sleep some more."

"If that's what you want to do." Which was likely the best thing for her. If she had blown up at Jacob, what would happen when we went to Charlie's? I would be there ready to catch her, but it always breaks my heart to hear those sobs. It is such a helpless feeling.

"Would you like me to come back up with you?" I asked.

"No. I'll be fine. Why don't you check on me in a few hours if I haven't come down?" she suggested.

"Consider it done," I glanced over at the family members I could see, before bending down to kiss Bella. There was a neediness in her lips, hungry to touch my own. I responded likewise. We hadn't kissed like this in weeks it seemed. Only a casual peck here and there. I realized how much I missed it.

We broke apart only because Carlisle cleared his throat and gave me a knowing look. I smiled sheepishly down at Bella, whose face was tinged pink. Beautiful. She smiled shakily at me before trudging up the stairs again. It took all I had within me not to follow her and finish the kiss.

I, instead, turned to Alice.

"Did you see him coming? Like that, I mean?" I asked.

"Yes, but he was already five seconds from the door when I realized what I was seeing. I thought it was a vision about tonight, when we will join back up to go to Seattle again." She frowned.

"An easy mistake to make," I nodded, "In some ways I'm glad that Bella blew up like that—she had been holding all of those emotions in too long. I only wonder what she'll do once we get to Charlie's. Any thoughts on that, Alice?"

"I have only seen her in her own room with you, sorting through things there." Alice shook her head.

"I guess it could be worse," I sighed, "But what was so important that Jacob would come now? Did he even say?"

"No, he just kept arguing with us about wanting to talk to Bella." Jasper spoke up, "His emotions were crazy. Anger, frustration, anxiousness. I dared not try to calm him down though. Not after how Paul reacted yesterday."

"It's probably best." I nodded, "They may have sought us out to help them, but they want nothing to do with us. They only want to be able to ensure the safety of their reservation and the areas surrounding them. So, are you going out late tonight then?"

Alice shook her head, "No. It's going to be sunny today and tomorrow. We're going to go as soon as the sun has set today and come back before dawn, unless we've found them and chased them into the mountains. That's what we need to do. I don't know why they're staying in Seattle. Unless it's just to feed." She grimaced.

"That is an interesting contemplation." I mused. Then a horrible thought struck me, "What if they are leading you on? They could be watching you. Hoping that you have a routine."

_I think you have a better tracker's mind than you give yourself credit for_. Emmett smirked at me.

"To be on the safe side, we should probably break up into different groups and go different ways. Just in case Edward is right. You did say that you think if he has a gift it's hunting?" Carlisle asked.

"Yes. He barely had control of his hunger and his eyes were already red. From what I saw in the wolves' minds, anyways." I confirmed.

"None of us will be in immediate danger, but we do need to stay alert on the hunts. Make sure that the next time someone sees Victoria and the other one, they be cornered into going into the mountains. We cannot attempt to take care of them in the city. It's too dangerous." Carlisle warned.

My family's thoughts went their separate ways after that, content that Carlisle was taking care of everything. I glanced up the stairs, wondering if Bella was asleep.

"Edward," Esme was suddenly at my side, "Would you play for me?"

_I think we need some distraction. All of us._ Her thoughts betrayed her simple request.

I nodded, glad to have something to occupy my free time.

**A/N- Sorry it's so short… but that's the way I blocked the chapters out when I was planning them. If you've been waiting for some Edward and Bella fluff in this story—get ready. Chapter 6 is FULL of it. **

**As usual, reviews are great. They help encourage me to write and quite a bit here lately, they've reminded to put things within the story that could be seriously overlooked. Your reviews help! Always remember that with me!**


	7. Chapter 6 a bit fluffy yay!

**A/N- As promised… there's a bit of Edward and Bella fluff in here. Not a lot, mind you. Read my one shots if you want fluff. **

**But I didn't want you to forget that Bella and Edward are life mates. Remember though, that they still have stuff to get through in their relationships. ;)**

**As usual, I don't own Twilight, New Moon and Eclipse. Just the plot of this story. **

Shafts of sunlight threaded their way through the large trees outside my window, laying beams across Bella's sleeping form.

So beautiful. I smiled at her sleeping face, glad that I could watch her. It had been months since I had been offered that pleasure. She had often wondered aloud what was so fascinating that kept me watching her every night. I dared not express it in words myself. It was just soothing to see her so at peace. Especially since her little tirade downstairs when she had looked so troubled.

"Edward, stop watching me." Bella mumbled. I chuckled when she turned her head away from me. In a flash I balanced myself on the top of the couch, with my back hugging the wall.

"Don't turn away. It was just getting interesting. Your drool was about to drown you." I tried to keep a straight face.

"EDWARD!" Bella abruptly sat up, making me hold even tighter to the back of the couch so I wouldn't fall on her, "That was evil." She glared at me.

"Come on, Bella. We don't have any spit to choke on," I maneuvered myself around her so I could sit down.

"I think that is by far the meanest thing you've ever done to me," her eyes were slits.

"Is that so?" I asked, a plan forming in my mind. It must have showed on my face.

"Edward," she slid away from me and almost hugged the arm of the couch, "Don't even think about—"

I was too fast for her words. In one millisecond I had her pinned on the floor and was tickling her mercilessly.

"No!" she cried through her laughter. It was cleansing, hearing her loud giggles. But I was so distracted by them that I barely registered her counter movement until she used her own strength and pinned me.

"Are you ticklish, love?" she smirked.

"I don't know." I contemplated for a moment, trying to remember, "Emmett's roughhousing doesn't branch out into tickling. I have no other memory of such an act."

"Afraid for me to try?" she asked. I had a feeling I was not ticklish, but I let her have her fun.

"No." I answered indignantly. Bella then attacked my sides. Her expression was befuddled when I barely twitched.

"NO FAIR!" she shouted, "Why am I ticklish when you aren't?"

"I may not have been ticklish as a human. Ever think about that?" I arched an eyebrow in her direction. She suddenly smiled down on me. It was a lovely sight, "What are you thinking?" I asked.

"That I have you pinned, for once." Her grin widened, "And I have the upper hand, for once." She bent down.

"You have always had the upper hand," I confessed, "I only made you think you didn't."

"There are a couple of times you pushed me away last year that makes me think not." Her face was inches from mine.

"Mmm… that was necessity. You didn't want me to kill you now? Did you?" I played along, reaching up to push her curtain of hair onto her back.

"I suppose not." She frowned, thinking for a moment, "But I do have the upper hand right now. What shall I do with you?"

"I don't know." I was being coy. It was maddening having her so close, teasing me. She flashed one last grin before she bent down and our lips connected. I immediately reached up to pull her closer—as close as I could get to her. I breathed in her scent, sweet as ever. I had reveled in being able to be so close and not feeling that monster inside me, begging me to taste her. This was heaven. I was sure of it. There could be nothing better.

Yes there could, I suddenly acknowledged. I sighed within myself as I pushed Bella away from me and got up, making swift movements to put about twenty feet between us. What was it that humans did to ward off these types of feelings? Think cold? I had been cold for almost a hundred years. It didn't help.

"Apparently, I still don't have the upper hand." She sighed.

"I'm sorry." I apologized lamely, leaning against the window, facing away from her. I felt her presence behind me, approaching carefully.

"We're in love, Edward. What is—why are you so against—this step in our relationship?" She stammered.

"Bella, I'm still a gentleman from the Victorian era." I turned to look at her. To stop her from coming closer.

"Oh," she blushed heavily. "It's a marriage thing, isn't it?"

"That would be the issue." I nodded, trying not to stare at her pink tinged cheeks.

"Why?" she couldn't help but ask. I could see it in her face.

Truth be told, there was only one reason that I could think of that would keep me a virgin my hundred and so years. I believe it was because of the only memory that I held of my mother. No matter what I told anyone, I had one memory of her and it was vivid. She was telling me that women wanted one thing above the rest: respect. And the best way to show that would be to respect her body. If I respected her body, I would be respecting her mind and her heart as well. It seemed to have ingrained itself into my very being, a shred of humanity, left over from my short life.

"It was just the way I was raised." I sighed. I tried not to keep things from Bella. If she pressed me, I would tell her, but it was the one thing I had kept from everyone—even Carlisle. The one thing that I could hold on to from my life before that dreaded flu. It was selfish, I know. And I could tell Bella anything. It was habit that kept me from sharing the story.

"You looked a million miles away just then," Bella came closer, reaching out a hand to clasp mine.

"I think this ordeal is getting to everyone." It was a cop out. I knew it, but I hedged away from thoughts of my mother as quickly as I came upon them. It didn't seem as difficult that way.

"Well, at least we had a few moments of normalcy," Bella chuckled, "How about we get ready and go over to Charlie's house? I think getting that place in order will make me feel better."

"Really? I thought it would be difficult for you." I sighed, pulling her against me.

"It will be," she nodded, "But as soon as that's done we can start helping with the hunt. If we get the house done today, then we might be allowed to go to Seattle with them tonight."

"You have a one track mind." I shook my head. But we got dressed and headed towards Charlie's with Alice in tow.

"You know what I just thought?" Bella asked as we drove towards the house. There was a secretive smile plastered on her face.

"What?" I asked, mildly frightened at what might come out of her mind at this point.

"I will have my truck back." She grinned.

"Oh no." Alice grumbled from the back, "Anything but that truck. Bella, let us buy you a new vehicle. Something shiny and fast. We could get you a truck, if that's what you want. A Cadillac Escalade!" My sister's voice was pleading.

"No way! I have to keep it! That's a good truck." Bella's continued to beam, watching out the window.

"It's a good truck for a grandmother." I muttered.

"Hey, you're OLDER than my grandmother." She pointed out, "So I wouldn't be talking."

To our dismay, Bella jumped out of the Volvo as soon as I had stopped the car and hugged her truck's front fender. I would never understand her preoccupation with that rust bucket.

There was only one worry I had about the house: Charlie's room. He had been asleep when the vampire had attacked him. The room had been a crime scene, but it had been abandoned since the police had taken documenting pictures and searched over every inch. I could only imagine what it looked like.

My worries dissipated when I went to take the first look around. Charlie's room was completely in order. Nothing out of place. The bed had even been made. My imagination ran away with me. If everything was in order, the room must have been a war zone. I was suddenly thankful to whoever had thought to clean up.

"Bella, are you going to keep the house?" I asked as I walked slowly down the stairs. I thought she might, but I wanted to be sure.

"Yes." She said decidedly, "But I have a feeling once business is done here, we'll be moving on. I want everything to be closed up and stored so that future teenagers won't get any funny ideas."

"Where do you want to start?" Alice asked.

"How about the living room? We can just pack up everything in there." Bella shrugged. Unfortunately, there were several photo albums Bella had never seen. She and Alice sat looking through them, stalling all packing efforts. I didn't mind. It probably bought us more time out of the search. I busied myself cleaning up the kitchen and bagging up all the food. We could donate it to a homeless shelter.

Night came quicker than we had expected. Jasper materialized on the front door to pick up Alice. Bella and I watched from the front step as they loaded into Emmett's Jeep and drove away.

"So much for going tonight," Bella sighed. I wrapped my arms around her.

"You know, I'm still not sure how safe it is for either of us to be out there." I commented, trying to gauge her reaction. She tensed up as soon as I spoke.

"Edward, if they still haven't found Victoria when I'm done here, I'm going," Bella grimaced, "You don't have to go, and as I've said, I wonder about your balance. You have proved yourself, so far, but what happens if you're getting ready to attack and instinct doesn't take over because there isn't one there? I'm not sure that I have an instinct, but if I don't go—well… I'll not be fit to live with."

"I'll take your word for it," I turned the corners of my mouth down in an attempt not to smile at her grave words. They seemed too serious to be coming out of her mouth. I tried to distract myself with another line of thinking, "Bella, I meant to ask you yesterday, why do you think your mother did not come for the funeral?"

"My mother! Oh my gosh! I wonder if someone called her," she broke away from me and ran into the house. I followed her slowly, wondering where exactly she thought she was going. She reappeared before I could get the door closed.

"The phone's been disconnected." She frowned, "Do you have yours?"

"Of course." I slipped it out of my pocket and into her hand swiftly. I watched as she began dialing her mother's number from memory. I speculated how long it had been since she had last talked to her mother. Obviously, a while.

"No mom, no—I'm fine. Seriously." I wished I could hear Renee's mind through a telephone connection. It would probably serve as great entertainment.

"What did Charlie tell you?" There was pain in Bella's voice when she spoke her father's name. "No, we didn't run off and get married. NO! I'm not pregnant." Bella rolled her eyes at me. I smirked.

"We just went—" she looked at me, panicked as to what to tell her mother, "We went to Ireland." That wasn't a complete lie, I acknowledged. Bella had gone to Ireland. "Edward's father has a friend there. We got to see some of the sights and—we just needed to get away. I can't explain it. Call it our senior trip. We just waited until we graduated to take it." She paused.

"Mom—stop! Listen—I'm not calling so we can catch up on life. I'm calling because—Mom, Charlie's dead." I pulled Bella closer to me then, giving her the support I knew she would need.

"Someone—someone attacked him while he was asleep. I'm so sorry. I didn't think to call you. The funeral and everything is over." Bella leaned against me as she had during the funeral, "Edward and I are packing up the house. Dad left everything to me. I'm keeping the house for now."

She paused for a moment, listening to Renee. I was close enough that I could hear the tinny voice through the phone. Offering to come. Worried about Bella.

"I'm fine. Edward's here. His entire family is here. They'll take care of me. I'm sure of it." I nodded at her, encouragingly. She was taken care of. But if Renee wanted us to come down—now that was an idea. A way to get away from the search.

"No, mom. I really think we're going to stay here and get the house closed up. I'll call you when we decide if we're staying here or leaving Forks." I heard Renee ask about college, "I don't think I'm up for school at all this year. I think Edward is going to wait with me and we'll talk about planning for next fall."

Bella exchanged goodbyes shortly after.

"Thank you for reminding me. I had wondered if someone had called Renee, but I didn't have much time to think about it." She sighed, "I'm glad that it was me telling her, and not some stranger. Phil was there, too, so I don't have to worry about her being alone. She seemed pretty coherent."

"That's just like you, you know." I murmured, kissing her forehead, "Thinking of everyone else." She looked up at me, her own eyes mirroring the ancient quality that she said mine held. It had taken her a lot less time to acquire that feature than it had me.

"Is there somewhere we can get boxes?" she asked. Obviously, she wanted to focus on other things.

"I think Port Angeles has a packing supply store." I looked at my watch, "It's not open anymore, I suspect. Everything closes there early. We could go first thing in the morning." I offered.

"Well, would you mind if we gathered everything up down here and sat it in the floor so that we can pack it all up in the morning?" I would never say no to her.

"I wouldn't mind at all," I smiled as I leaned down to kiss her. She allowed me to linger for a moment before breaking away.

We made fast work of gathering up everything in the living room, kitchen and hallway and placing it all in neat piles on the floor. Soon we were on our way back to the house, looking forward to the comfort my couch would offer.

**A/N- Woo for Bella and Edward fluff. I hope to have Chapter 7 up on Saturday now, instead of tomorrow. I'm going out of town, but I'm taking the lappy with me. So, cross your fingers.**

**Reviews are always welcome, especially with the fluff in this chapter. **


	8. Chapter 7

**A/N- Hello all! I have been out of town, but am now back and burning some midnight oil to get a whole heap of things done. Be patient with me these next days and weeks. I am going to be a little busy working, interning, and choreographing majorettes. I can only promise that I know what's going to happen at the end so that means that I know how the next four or five chapters are going to play out. Finding the time to play them out is going to be the problem.**

**As usual, I don't own Twilight, New Moon, Eclipse or any of the characters that reside within the pages of those books.**

Our next day was occupied by packing away Charlie's house. With Alice and Esme's help, it was quick work. Charlie was not a pack rat. Besides clothing and bathroom toiletries, there was little to pack away. Bella decided to give his clothes to a local clothing drive. Other things were placed in boxes and stored in the large closet under the stairs.

As a final touch, I decided to board up the windows. Halfway through the job I paused underneath Bella's window. Closing it up—even temporarily—would be like admitting an end to an era. I had not climbed into it for months, but it had always been open. In a familiar motion I leapt up sailing through the window, for old times' sake, and settled myself on the sill.

"The last time you were there—" Bella's voice pulled my eyes to the doorway, "I believe that you were asking me to sleep one more time." She walked towards me and sat down.

"I'm glad you can still sleep." I admitted, fighting a smile.

"Being a little nostalgic?" she smirked, patting the painted wood framing.

"I was outside boarding up the other windows and it just hit me that I may not have a chance to come in this way. Into this window again for a while." I placed an arm around her waist, pulling her closer, "I'm kind of hesitant to board it up. I did watch you many a night from this very portal."

"Well, if there were accessible windows to your room, you could climb in and out all you wanted." She laughed, placing her head on my shoulder. A content ripple sighed its way through my chest. If only we could stay like this forever. No such luck.

"Come on. Board it up, hammer boy. It's almost dark." Bella's form disappeared from the room in a flash.

All too soon, we were back at our own house and Bella was making plans to go on the hunt that night. I looked to Alice for some idea as to what we might expect.

"I've seen two things, probably since you keep changing your mind. In the first one I don't see you on the search with us," Alice glanced at me warily, "But Bella is safely grouped with Jasper and Emmett. No wolves. The second one is not so uneventful. It seems that you and Bella end up on the same search party and you find Victoria. She goes to attack Bella. You jump in front of her—and… you freeze up."

I saw it as she described the scene. It was frightening to see myself so—unresponsive. Alice tried to stop her vision there, but I saw Victoria's attack. It was almost physically painful to see myself in such a position. My eyes slammed shut in reaction to the sight.

I was still unsure of my own boundaries. I had never had many limitations before. Alice's vision did nothing to calm my nerves. I had been second guessing my capabilities since I woke up from the coma. I just had not admitted that I was feeling a bit insecure. Human male ego was an ugly thing, and it seemed to be consuming me.

"Can you promise me that they'll take care of her?" I asked, turning my face away from her. She knew I was talking about Emmett and Jasper.

"Edward, are you thinking of not going?" Alice was horrified. No matter what her visions told her, as long as I had a choice, her visions could change. She relied pretty heavily upon that instinct.

"There are parts of me that want to go. Parts of me that want to rip that new vampire apart." I sighed, "But what if I were in the group that found them? What if I was in a position that I had to attack and I couldn't find it within me to do so? I will not put anyone in danger like that. Your visions only confirm that suspicion."

"What about Bella?" Alice asked, "What if she can't attack either?"

"Somehow, I doubt that." I shrugged, "After her outburst with Jacob, I don't think that's going to be a problem. But you have got to keep Bella away from him."

"You should still come. We'll separate you and Bella." Alice offered. As if I liked that idea any better than just staying at the house and waiting. I didn't want to let Bella out of my sight. But I would be closer. I would be minutes—maybe seconds—away instead of hours away.

"Maybe it's best that I go." I nodded. I would probably go crazy waiting around the house. I had a feeling that would be no good.

"Yes, I think it is," Alice nodded. I saw myself in her mind, frantically pacing around the house. I looked half crazy. That would never work.

In a few short hours we were seeing the lights of Seattle. I was irritated by the thoughts of my family. They were carefully upbeat. It only made me feel gloomier. This was the closest I had felt like my old self—the person that I was before I met Bella—and I didn't like it one bit.

I was such a—was there a word for what I had been before Bella walked into my life? A void. Maybe that was it. I may have been self possessed and laid a careful façade for my family before, but now that I knew the difference I was fighting it. Nonetheless, a pit of depression was reigning over me. How could I let Bella stray inches away from me, much less miles and miles of urban territory?

The plan for that night was to begin where Emmett and Rosalie had first spotted Victoria in a northern metropolitan section and fan out, going south. Bella, Jasper and Emmett would take the route leading straight down through Seattle, while the rest of us fanned out east and west.

I schooled my features when we let Bella and my brothers out. It was very difficult to let her go. My mind screamed that this could lead to no good. That I should just keep Bella trapped with me in the car waiting for the rest to come back. But the look in her face stopped me.

Determination to find Victoria and the new vampire colored her cheeks. This was her battle to fight and she wanted to fight it. No matter what kind of storm I felt brewing inside of me, hers must be much larger.

I seared my brothers with a warning look. They knew that if anything happened to Bella I would hold them responsible. They got the message loud and clear.

_Edward, you know we'll take care of her. Just focus on finding Victoria and the new one. It'll make the time pass._ Jasper's thoughts were reassuring.

_Don't worry. She's just as much our little sister now as she is your mate. Where would I get my entertainment if Bella wasn't around? _Emmett met my gaze and flashed a grin.

Bella leaned in to kiss me. The perfect time to beg her to stay. To keep her here with me in the car until the others came back. Surely, she would rather stabilize my composure than go off gallivanting with Emmett and Jasper, like Buffy the Vampire slayer or something.

"Don't worry. I'll be ok." She murmured into my ear. I was incapable of asking her. I was thinking too much of what I wanted. My selfishness for her eternal company had put us both into this vampiric limbo. This was her request of me.

"Just promise me you'll be careful, ok?" I ruffled her hair, trying my hardest to keep the hurricane of emotions from giving me away. I focused on her scent. It had once been tantalizing to the monster within me. Now it calmed the savage selfish beast. Ironic.

"I will. I love you," she smiled. I searched her face for any hint of uncertainty. Any way I could protect her myself. There was none. I was resigned.

"I love you, too. So much." I wanted to tell her how much, but there was no time. I let my eyes tell her. They had more effect on her than anything. Even though they were green instead of topaz.

_Edward, stop. We _will_ take care of her._ Jasper must have felt the emotions that were swirling between us.

I didn't look back as Carlisle pulled away. Carlisle, Esme and I were taking the east side of Seattle with Paul and Embry. Rosalie and Alice were taking the west with Jacob and the others.

As soon as I was out of the car, I turned off everything but my mind reading capabilities and my eyesight. I focused all my energy on finding Victoria's mind and seeing her flaming red hair. It was her downfall having such a beacon on her head. We fanned out, working blocks at a time. Searching through residential neighborhoods. Fine combing warehouses we came upon. Leaving no building unsearched.

Mindless searching that turned up nothing. We made it to Tacoma before the sky began to lighten. From there we were supposed to double back through wooded areas and wait for Emmett, Jasper and Bella, so we could go get the cars.

I finally relaxed as we raced towards the meeting place. This had been less painful than I imagined. I had shut my mind down almost completely. An ability that I had not tapped into since I had been hunting for Victoria the year before. It was nice to know I still had it. And Bella would be with me soon. Stability would be reinstated.

We were the first group to arrive. I leaned against a tree trunk, willing the other groups to appear. As soon as we were idle I was susceptible to my wild thoughts. I imagined Bella getting away from Jasper and Emmett. The idea drove me to an edge of reason I had not noticed was there.

"Edward," Esme's voice snapped me out of my untamed imaginings, "That's not going to help." My expression must have given me away.

"I know," I sighed, "I just don't like this."

"I think if we don't find them in the next day or so, we should suspend this searching through Seattle," Carlisle spoke up, "Sadly, the best way to locate them is if we wait until a string of murders is reported. We have searched this city with a fine toothed comb and still, nothing has come up. They may be gone by now, after they saw Rosalie and Emmett. I haven't detected their scent the entire time we've been out."

"Nor have I," Paul admitted grudgingly, "I don't like it, but I think you're right, Cullen. The only way we're going to find those two leeches is to go back and wait for some sign."

I kept my eyes on the horizon, hoping to see Bella's form appear at any moment. The waiting was almost unbearable. Fear ripped at my insides. That swirling hurricane of emotion was back full force.

I jumped when Carlisle's cell phone rang. He immediately strode away from all of us, but not before I saw the caller ID screen in his mind. It was Alice.

The conversation was brief and tense. For once, I was too terrified to listen to Carlisle's thoughts. I tuned them out, hoping that they were just a little behind and had called to confirm that.

Carlisle's face was grave as he walked back to us.

_Stay calm, Edward._ Was that Carlisle's mind or my own?

"It's possible that Alice's vision came true." Carlisle's voice murmured, looking directly at me. The vision of Bella and Jacob in the forest. "Jasper, Emmett and Bella ran into Alice, Rosalie and the others and they were preparing to come back this way. But Victoria and the new vampire, Noah, came out of nowhere and tried to attack. Before much could happen, Jacob grabbed Bella and ran off into the forest. Noah followed them. Victoria is no longer a threat. After Noah ran off, Jasper and Emmett took care of her. Rosalie and Alice attempted to go after Jacob and Bella. They found Jacob. He's beat up pretty badly, but Bella is nowhere to be found."

I felt numb. The horror and pain had taken over my body as I listened until it all just paralyzed my nervous system. Paralyzed me. Bella was lost.

Lost.

Or taken by this vampire—Noah. What could he want with her? She was no source of food. Grief at all the decisions I made, victimizing this beautiful creature, deadened my mind, much as the pain had deadened my nervous system.

Bella was lost.

I couldn't breathe. Physically, I couldn't breathe. My heart was erratically beating, responding to a rise in blood pressure. Cardiac arrest?

Bella was lost. That was all my mind could comprehend.

And then I felt my weak heart stop and I knew nothing.

**A/N- You should have seen this coming. I have barely left cliffhangers for you this entire story… compared to the first one, where the entire thing WAS a cliffhanger.**

**Now, your thoughts are due. This is the last chapter that I have fully finished. I am usually chapters ahead when I post, but I haven't had the time, and I didn't want to leave you guys in the lurch for too long.**

**Reviews are going to be the key behind getting the story going now. Seriously, guys. Reviews… not just a formality now. They are necessity. **


	9. Chapter 8

**A/N- For good behavior… and good reviews, I give you this chapter. Hooray for you! Hooray for me.**

**As usual, I don't own Twilight, New Moon, and Eclipse. I just own Seamus and Noah.**

Bella's POV

Noah had followed us. We only knew his name because Victoria screamed it before Jasper and Emmett took her away. I knew she was no longer a threat.

Seconds later, Jacob and I were running through the forest, his human body long gone.

We stopped when we thought we had lost him. Then I remembered Alice's vision.

And that we were both in the forest.

Before I could react, Noah jumped into the clearing and Jacob sprang to attack.

This could be no good for my best friend. Noah was much stronger.

I stood paralyzed as Jacob was ripped to pieces. I couldn't make myself move. I couldn't do anything to protect my best friend.

And then Noah turned on me. And his blood red eyes sparked a fire within my heart. This wasn't a time to be the old human Bella. She had needed a guardian because she wasn't strong enough herself. That Bella was long gone.

It was time to put myself to the test. To put my vampiric qualities a trial run in a way I'd never had to.

_Oh Edward, forgive me._ This was my final thought before I turned to face the beast that killed my father.

**A/N- Hey! I told you that this was here for good reviewing behavior. I said nothing about how long it would be. This chapter was long in coming. You won't see Bella's POV ever again in this story. **

**So, as usual, reviews are welcome. Insisted upon, even, if I'm going to get the next chapters edited and up in the next few days. **


	10. Chapter 9

**A/N- Alright, I'm getting further and further ahead of the posted chapters. Which is a good thing. Because soon I'll have no time whatsoever to write after the end of this week.**

**I'm glad that you enjoyed Bella's POV, but I doubt you'll see it again. Edward is back to stay, happily. **

**I do not own Twilight, New Moon or Eclipse. I only own Noah and any other characters that might come up in the final chapters of this crazy ride. **

Edward's POV

I grimaced when I heard a beeping noise, waking me up from the fantastic dreamless sleep I had been enjoying. I suddenly knew how all those people with alarm clocks felt. Throwing that annoying machine out the window and falling back asleep sounded wonderful.

Then I realized that I was not sure I knew where I was. I had no recollection of trying to go to sleep. And I usually remembered because sleeping was always a trifle odd to me, after ninety years of consciousness.

I opened my eyes and glanced around the unfamiliar room. The curtains and bedspread gave away the general location: a hotel room. At my further perusal I noticed the heart monitor. That aggravating beeping noise was a response to my heart's beat.

Suddenly, it all came back in a crashing wave. The pain and grief. The very hole that seemed to be ripping itself through my torso. I gasped for a breath. The beep of the heart monitor sped up. A very small, logical part of me knew that the heart monitor was responding to the rise in my heart rate.

I had to calm down. But how could I? Bella—lost. Quite possibly taken by Noah. Noah was such a peaceful name—a biblical name. How could someone so vile end up with such a sacred brand?

We didn't even know if Bella could die or not. What if she could? What if I could? What if Noah still tried to drink from her? This line of thinking was not helping the maddening sound that the heart monitor emitted.

"Edward?" Carlisle's quiet voice made me look towards the doorway of the room.

"Tell me I was dreaming. Tell me it was a nightmare I was having." I choked out.

"I can't do that." Carlisle came closer, sitting on the side of the bed, "I can tell you that everyone is searching for Bella, except for me. It's easier now that they directed their path into the mountains. It doesn't matter whether the sun is out or not."

"Why am I here? What happened to me?" I couldn't remember. All I remember was the grief that I felt when the words tumbled from Carlisle's lips. That Bella was not with Emmett and Jasper.

"Your heart stopped. You went back into that sinister coma that you'd been in before. Eyes opened. Completely motionless. It's a good thing that we knew what to do this time. It took a little work, but we got everything together here and fixed you up. You have got to control your emotions." He scolded, "Esme was beside herself."

"How long have I been out?" I wanted to go search, too. Any amount of time was lost time. Time I could have been roaming the mountains with my family looking for Bella.

"About five hours. Alice has called in once. It's very difficult to find Bella. Her blood scent is so weak and she's not calling for help." Carlisle sighed. He was restless. I could tell.

"What about Jacob? I remember something about him being found in the woods?" I furrowed my brow trying to remember exactly what had happened.

"Jacob woke up and remembers nothing of what happened to him. Only that he was maimed by Noah. He's healed up." Carlisle frowned.

I scowled fiercely. The only person that could possibly tell us something about Bella was unable to. This was absolutely maddening. I had no time to blame Jacob. My—my life was out there somewhere. I had to find her.

Suddenly, I could hear Emmett and Esme's thoughts. They were close.

"Emmett and Esme are here. I want to go looking for her." I sat up and ripped the monitor pads from my chest.

"Is that wise? How do we know you won't short out again?" Carlisle gave me a pointed look.

"Because Bella is out there somewhere and she needs me. I can control myself." I threw my feet over the bedside and moved to stand up.

"Oh Edward," I heard Esme's voice, "I was so worried." She came over to examine me closer.

_Worried enough that we came back._ Emmett's thoughts assailed me.

Esme seemed satisfied that I was in one piece. Though I didn't feel like it. I pulled my shirt back on, physically covering the metaphoric cavern where my heart used to be. Something else was beating in its place. Some unknown organ that no human physician would recognize.

"Have you found any traces of Bella?" I asked.

"No." Emmett frowned, "But we can't find any evidence of Noah either. We can't find his scent anywhere."

"Come on, let's go." I moved to shove my feet into my tennis shoes, "Any minute we stand here talking is a minute we waste. I can get most of the details from your minds as we catch up to the others."

"Edward," Esme caught me by the arm and fixed a stern gaze on me, "You have to promise me that you won't get over excited. What if electrocuting you stops working? You will not do that to me again."

"As soon as we catch up with the others, you can attach Jasper to me, if you want." I assured her.

_Promise me._ Her mind almost screamed.

"I promise. If that's what it takes." I nodded.

"Let's go," Esme frowned at me, but led the way out of the room.

By the time we caught up with everyone, they were in the middle of the mountain range, combing through the forest. I had discerned that the entire search party was looking for Bella, no exceptions. Jacob had, in fact, healed completely and was searching with the rest of the pack a little further south that the rest of us. There was nothing else to know.

"Edward," Alice tackled me as soon as we were in their vicinity, "We're going to find Bella. I promise. Even if I can't see it. But until then, here is your new best friend," Alice grabbed Jasper and stood him beside me.

"Edward, if I'm going to be right here, you're going to have to do something about that." Jasper pointed at my chest.

"You feel it too?" I sighed, wincing against the pain. Had I felt this anguished when I left Bella last fall? I couldn't remember. Being back with her had dulled all memory of those baleful feelings.

"Try this." Jasper was careful not to touch me. He would feel the full onslaught of my emotions if he did, "Just take deep breaths. Deep cleansing breaths. We are going to find Bella, Edward. We will comb over the entire United States if need be. There's nothing to worry about."

I focused on a nearby tree. I knew that Jasper was right. I needed to take care of myself. I would be no good to the search if I was hysterical.

I breathed deeply.

_We don't know that Bella was with Noah. Maybe she escaped him_. Jasper's mind whispered at me.

I took another deep breath.

_She may have gone into hiding so that Noah couldn't find him. _

I pulled in another fresh batch of oxygen.

_Noah's powers could be as ineffective on Bella as yours are. As Aro's were. As Jane's were._

I felt the hole in my chest close up a little. It was bearable at best. The positive thoughts helped.

But not much.

"Come on," Jasper touched my shoulder. It was then that I noticed the others had disappeared from sight, "We're going to start here and keep following a westward path. Stay within ten feet of me, ok? We're going to find her."

"Ok." I nodded.

We began walking slowly through the woods. Jasper called out Bella's name every twenty feet or so that we walked. I was incapable of speech. I focused on the positive thoughts that Jasper threaded through my mind, as well as the calming effect he had harnessed my raging emotions with. The emotions were effectively reigned in.

I was back in my mindless search mode, watching for a dark head of hair or the blonde spikes of Noah that I had seen in Jasper's mind. For the second time that day, I shut out all the worries and emotion and let my instinct take over. Bella had to be in this forest.

My heart beat sped up a little.

"Are you alright Edward?" Jasper pulled me out of my mindless reverie. He must have heard the irregularity of my heart.

"Yes. I think so. I just wish we could find her." I sighed. Jasper placed a hand on my shoulder and the contact earned me a clearer mind.

"Everyone is looking for her. We'll find her." Jasper nodded, "Are you sure you're alright? You were just comatose an hour ago."

"I will be ok as soon as we find Bella, Jasper." I barely murmured.

Rosalie appeared before we could go further into conversation.

"We found Noah." And then I saw the image her mind was focused on. It wasn't Noah at all, but a ten foot radius of trees singed by the fire and soot of a vampire's body.

"We identified him by the scrap of clothing we found in one of the trees." Rosalie held up a small piece of blue fabric.

"Any sign of Bella?" Jasper asked the question I wanted to. It was the answer to that question that I feared.

"None…. Which is a good thing—" she rushed to answer. She must have heard my heart speed up.

"Steady, Edward," Jasper placed a hand on my shoulder, slamming a wave of calm through me.

"It's a good thing because that means she's still out there." Rosalie tried to smile, "I would like to know how she killed Noah herself."

"Alice saw none of it?" Jasper asked.

"Alice wasn't there when I left. She was searching south of where we found the remains." Rosalie shrugged, "But, Edward, that means that wherever Bella is, she's safe. We just have to find her." She looked hopeful, "And she probably isn't far. I came to see if you wanted to search for her yourself in that area. Esme and Jacob already are."

While all this conversation was going on I was trying to pull the pieces together. Noah was gone. Bella had killed him herself. But she was nowhere to be found.

"Let's go." I nodded decisively. I wanted to look around where Noah had been destroyed. Maybe there would be a clue that would help us find her.

**A/N- The chapters are beginning to get progressively longer. But if they're going to get edited and placed up, I'm going to have to hear some noise. So hit that review button and tell me what you think. **


	11. Chapter 10

**A/N- To get some inspiration, I went back to reviews for "With Opened Eyes" to see what worked and what hadn't worked for you guys. But I went back there and I didn't see one review that was very critical at all. They were all very encouraging and positive. **

**I got through writing this chapter because of all those reviews. And I thank all of you for being such a great audience. "W.O.E." has almost 10,000 hits! I'm so excited because that means that people are still reading it and enjoying it. I'm still getting reviews! So THANK YOU!!**

**With every fiber of my being I sometimes wish that I owned Twilight, New Moon, and Eclipse, but I do not. I only borrow what Stephenie has created, so that I may share in the magic that is Edward and Bella. Don't be stealing Seamus and Noah though! They're mine!**

Jasper and I stood in the middle of the blazed area. The trees were charred and marred with the remains of Noah. It smelled like burnt vampire and I had only smelled that once or twice in my life.

But with this much damage, could Bella have been caught up in the wildfire? The very thought made me shudder, and I sunk down on a tree stump heavily. My thoughts and emotions swirled around in my head, making me feel slightly dizzy.

I did not want to acknowledge that Bella might have already been dead. I didn't believe it. I would feel it if she was gone. There was still hope. There had to be.

As I sat there, weighing options, Emmett's thoughts began to filter into my mind. Then I heard his snort of disgust. He was not happy with me.

"Emmett…" Jasper's voice was a warning.

"No, I'm tired of this." Emmett's voice was dark, "I'm tired of blocking my thoughts from him." I angled my chin to face Emmett, "Edward, you have got to snap out of this."

"Snap out of what, Emmett?" I rose to my full height, "What if this was you and Rosalie? What if Rosalie was out there somewhere? What if you didn't know whether she was dead or alive? What then?" I almost growled. It felt good.

"Anything is better than seeing you sulking around. Edward this isn't you." Emmett spat out, "You are not this passive person who mopes around worrying yourself to the end of your rope. You take action. When you thought Bella would be better off without all of us around, you asked us to leave. We all left. You went searching for Victoria. Then when you thought Bella was dead, you went to Italy. And that was just recently. You have a temper. You scream and yell when you don't get your way. _Do something!_"

"AM I NOT?" I roared and frightened myself. I blinked, trying to compose myself and then continued, "Am I not doing something? I'm out here! I'm looking for her."

"But you're so silent," Emmett whispered, "I've never heard you stay quiet for so long. You threw a tantrum when Carlisle wanted to move to Forks and that wasn't a big deal at all. But here, with Bella gone and you are this person that is neither human nor vampire. I would think that your frustration would be a little more evident. It scares me, Edward. A lot."

"And you don't think this all is not scary for me?" I fumed, "Not knowing where Bella is. Being trapped within this body. Without my hearing? Without my sense of smell? How do you think that I feel, Emmett?"

"Edward! Stop this." Alice was streaking up to us in an instant, "I can hear your arguing for miles. Jasper, why didn't you stop them?"

"Because I agree with Emmett," Jasper shrugged helplessly, "As much as it would seem dangerous for Edward, his heart rate is better when he is yelling and screaming with Emmett compared to sulking and silent. It's because he's been thinking too much. Getting himself psyched out. I'd rather have him ranting and raving."

"So you're the cause," She turned to Emmett, "Arguing is no way to find Bella. And I don't know how screaming and yelling will solve any of this." Alice hissed.

"WOULD YOU ALL STOP!" I roared again, shaking the trees around us. Alice turned back to me with a startled look in her eyes.

"They are right." I sighed, "I have been moody and my personality has been very inconsistent lately. Just because my physique has changed does not mean that my countenance should have. I have been feeling sorry for myself. For my situation." I sneered at my own disobedient thoughts. Did I dare voice what my mind was screaming? I dared.

"Talk about masochistic. I miss being a vampire. Is that crazy? Am I going insane? I feel like this would be ten times easier if I were just a vampire. I always feel so naked. So, out of control!" There they were. The thoughts that I had carefully avoided since being awake. They had just spilled out of my mouth. Did I really miss that atrocious monster that I had been? It was almost too much for my mind to comprehend.

"I can't believe you!" Rosalie snarled. I had forgotten she was even there. "You find a loophole. An_ EASY_ out. And you're _complaining_ about it! I cannot BELIEVE you're bellyaching about such a ridiculous thing. Don't you think that we would follow you and Bella gratefully into your half breed living if we could?"

"Everyone needs to calm down." Carlisle's raised voice stunned us all into silence. I could hear everyone's shame in their thoughts. "Edward, how are you feeling?" Carlisle, ever the doctor.

"I am fine," I gritted out, "But what if Bella was caught up in all this?" I motioned around the remains of the trees around us, "What if—what if she's gone?" I broke off, the pain of the thought piercing me. I sat back down on my stump.

"Do you really believe that Bella is gone?" Carlisle laid a hand on my shoulder. "Do you really think that you wouldn't feel her presence gone?"

I closed my eyes and blocked out all my family's thoughts. No, Bella was not gone. I would know. I would have to know.

"No." I replied, looking up, "But she's still out there. And we have not found her. Where is she?"

_Careful Edward. You're getting whiney again._ Emmett's thoughts invaded my mind.

"I only mean that—that I'm getting impatient to find her." I glared at Emmett.

"Sitting around here isn't going to help." Alice said plainly, "And looking at these charred tree bits isn't going to calm your nerves. Let's go. We'll continue to search."

Then I heard the most beautiful sound.

"Search for what? What are we searching for?" Bella was leaning against a tree, clutching her chest. There was a collective gasp from all of us. She did not look well at all. And then she seemed to fall toward the ground.

I leapt forward, catching her before she could feel an impact.

"Carlisle." I choked out. Bella was very pale. And she was cold. So cold. Vampire cold.

"I feared this." Carlisle murmured from my side, checking Bella's pulse and placing a hand on her forehead.

"Feared what?" I asked, my fierce temper was back with a vengeance. I looked down at Bella's crumpled face and wondered what could possibly be wrong with her. I almost howled in frustration.

"Bella never fully changed, Edward. Her heart never stopped." Carlisle reminded me, "I dare to say she won't be immortal until she dies."

"No," I growled. This could not be. I would not let it come to pass.

"Why did you keep this to yourself?" Alice asked from behind me. Carlisle glanced at Bella then over my shoulder at my siblings. Then his eyes resettled on Bella. He was afraid to meet my own eyes. His thoughts told me as much. He had not wanted to upset the delicate balance, just in case it was not true.

"Bella, can you hear me?" Carlisle asked. Bella nodded.

"What hurts?" he prodded her.

"My chest." Bella whispered. My own heart was breaking.

"How much does it hurt, on a scale of one to ten?" Carlisle asked.

"What does it matter?" I hissed, glaring at my father.

"It matters because if she is able, we will take her to Seamus." Carlisle's voice was as patient as always. But he still dared not to look at me.

"Seven," Bella's voice brought my gaze back down, "But it lessens. It hasn't hurt like this always." She gritted out, "I wouldn't have made it here if it had."

"Do you think you could stand the plane ride to Ireland?" Carlisle asked.

"Is Edward coming?' she asked, opening her eyes and looking up at me.

"Of course. We'll all go." Carlisle nodded.

"Then I think I can stand a plane ride to Ireland." Bella nodded and smiled up at me through the pain.

"Come on. Let's get her out of here." Esme placed a hand on my shoulder and squeezed. I nodded and gently picked Bella up.

"Close your eyes, Bella. We're going to run," I murmured in her ear.

"I love you, Edward," she whispered, those chocolate colored orbs gazing up at me. Those words refilled the crack that had been ripped into my chest earlier that day. The look on her face continued to do haunt me, though. I leaned down and pressed a kiss to her cheek.

"I love you, too. Now, close your eyes," I whispered. And we were off into the forest. I focused on running, never allowing the thoughts of my family members break through. Or allowing my own thoughts to plague me. Soon we were back in the parking lot of the hotel.

"It will be a long trip. Alice, Rosalie, go get everyone a change of clothes. We'll need to get cleaned up before we leave." Carlisle handed Alice the keys to the Mercedes.

Carlisle began handing out assignments for everyone. Jasper had his laptop out of the Jeep and was booking tickets for us within minutes of our arrival. Esme was renting a few more rooms so that we could all get cleaned up. Emmett had doubled back to find the wolves and send them back to La Push.

Carlisle led me to the room that I had occupied only a few hours before.

"Where are we?" Bella murmured.

"We are in a hotel room in Tacoma," I murmured, settling her down onto the bed.

"Bella, would you mind very much if I hooked you up to a heart monitor?" Carlisle asked.

"No. The pain's subsided to a dull ache." Bella reached for my hand and I gladly placed it in her grasp, "Why do you have a heart monitor?"

I had forgotten how observant she could be. I looked at Carlisle.

_It's your story to tell._ He would be no help. He continued to hook Bella up to the machine.

"My heart stopped," I looked into Bella's eyes, willing her not to become distressed at the information, "It was because I let my emotions get away from me. When I heard that you and Jacob had gone off into the woods, and Noah had followed you, I was inconsolable. My blood pressure rose and I went back into my coma. They knew what to do this time, thanks to you." I smiled down at her.

"But you—Edward… oh. I'm sorry." Bella sighed, squeezing my hand, "What about Jacob? What happened to him? Is he--"

"He's fine. He healed up nicely. Just a few deep tissue scars." Carlisle assured her as he flipped on the monitor. The room was filled with an erratic beeping noise, not like the steady rhythm I heard earlier from my own heart.

"Can you feel that Bella?" Carlisle asked, "Your own heartbeat?"

"Sort of. It's part of the reason that my chest hurts so bad, I think." She nodded. Oh, that I could trade places with her. To take the pain away. The pain that was creasing her face.

"You just stay here until Alice gets back. We will all get cleaned up and then we'll be off to Ireland, ok?" Carlisle smiled softly down at her.

"I can do that." Bella nodded. I heard a commotion outside the door and listened for the thoughts of the two people.

_What is his problem? I just want to see her._ It was Jacob.

_He's not getting through this door._ Emmett was standing guard right outside.

"What's going on?" Bella asked, looking up at me.

"Jacob is outside." I murmured, hoping that she would tell me to send him away.

"Can I see him?" she whispered. She seemed so fragile and broken.

I was incapable of telling her 'no'. At this point, I could deny her nothing. I listened to Jacob's fuming thoughts, and decided if it was closure he wanted, it was closure he would get. The end.

"If he will calm down," I nodded, "There is no way I am going to let him in here if he is just going to upset you."

"I will go talk to him," Carlisle stood and went out the door, closing it behind him.

"Thank you, Edward. I know you don't like Jacob around. You were absolutely against me meeting him before." Bella sighed, "But he—he stood between Noah and me."

"Shh… I want to know everything, but I do not want you excited. Just—quiet. Can you handle that?" I smirked down at her and she grimaced at me. We both glanced toward the door as it opened and Jacob entered.

"Bella—" he rushed over to the other side of the bed. I tried to control myself. This was still Jacob—a werewolf. And he was barely dressed in a pair of shorts and nothing else.

"Do not upset her. Whatever you do," I growled. Bella glared at me and then looked over at Jacob.

"What happened? How did you get away from Noah?" Jacob asked. Questions that were swirling in my brain, but I dared not voice them. Dared not because Bella might have a bad reaction.

"I don't know. I sort of remember, but not well." she grimaced, placing a hand over her chest.

"Do not press her. Do you not hear the heart monitor? That's her heart going nuts." I warned, leveling a look at Jacob. His thoughts were filled with anger, but he nodded.

"Edward, hush," Bella squeezed my hand, "I just remember that I chased him." She looked frightened of her own story.

"You chased him?" I asked, out of pure shock.

"He was afraid of me." She nodded, biting her lip, "But I don't know why."

"What's wrong?" Jacob asked, motioning towards the wires that were attached to Bella.

"We don't know. Vampire hearts stop beating when we're changed, but we believe Bella's never stopped. It just slowed." I tried to explain patiently, for Bella's sake, "We are both—" I stopped, trying to search for the right word, "Hybrid. Human and vampire. Super strength. Speed. I still have my mind reading ability, as you know. But neither of us is blood thirsty. And some of my senses have dulled. And of course, I have a heartbeat now, too." I paused again, not wanting to voice what I had a feeling was true.

"But because of all of this, Carlisle thinks that Bella's heart has to stop." I finally murmured. I closed my eyes against the idea.

"What does this have to do with her heart acting crazy? Can't that be fixed? With pills or something?" Jacob asked.

"My medical degrees stop with the human body," I admitted, glancing over at Jacob, "I have no idea what could be done for a half breed's irregular heartbeat. That is why we are going to Ireland. Carlisle has a friend there who is a—healer. He may be able to help."

I left out that Seamus had helped Bella figure out what would help me.

"You're going to Ireland? With Bella in this condition?" He leapt up. I stood as well, dropping Bella's hand.

"She says that she can handle it." I gritted out.

"I _can_ handle it," Bella reached to grab a fistful of my shirt and pull me back down. Her strength was still intact, "And I can handle fighting my own battles. Both of you—knock it off. I'm going to Ireland to see Seamus. He is a doctor who has lived far longer than any of us. He'll know what to do."

"And I'm just supposed to let you go?" Jacob asked, throwing his hands up in the air. I stayed silent. Bella wanted to fight her own battles and I would let her. As long as the heart monitor told me she was not getting any more excited.

"Jacob," Bella whispered, reaching for my hand again, "I chose my path months ago. I don't want to shut you out, but Edward is my life."

I had almost let a triumphant smile break my otherwise carefully schooled features. But when Jacob's thoughts were more hurt than angry, I stopped. I had won. I had won months ago. I did not need to add insult to injury.

The conversation hung in silence for a moment, before Esme poked her head through the door.

"Edward, Alice and Rosalie are back. You and Bella need to get cleaned up. Our flight is in a couple hours." She tried to smile at me. But I heard her thoughts.

_I wish they could get through one week without some sort of trouble. They have gone through the most to be together._

I agreed with her. But that did not make our situation any less real.

"I think it is best that you go," I addressed Jacob as Esme re-closed the door.

"What? Why?" his voice cracked, allowing me to realize how young he really was. His mind was still a riot of emotions.

"Bella has to get showered and so do I. We will be leaving for the airport in a little while." I explained.

"Oh," he sighed. _This is the end. Isn't it, Edward?_

I looked down, not willing to meet Jacob's eyes. No, Bella would never be around the werewolves again as far as I was concerned. We would move somewhere else. Maybe if we left Forks, our troubles would subside. As much as troubles could for a coven of vampires trying to fit into human society.

"I guess this is goodbye, Bella." Jacob reached down to grasp Bella's hand.

_Her hand is so cold._ Jacob's mind registered and he worked to place her hand gently back on the bed, instead of dropping it. _Is she going to—_

I seared Jacob with an acid look before he could finish the thought. He looked at me apologetically.

"See ya, Jake." Bella smiled a small smile and waved as Jacob backed out of the room. A part of me felt bad that Bella would probably never see Jacob again, as far as I was concerned. She would fight me later on. I was certain of it. But Jacob was another tie that had to be cut. We could not have werewolves following us to New England or wherever we decided to go.

As Jacob walked out, Alice walked in.

"Edward, can you get the heart monitor unhooked?" Alice asked, without preamble, "We're going to get Bella showered while you shower in the next room down."

I looked down at Bella's pained face. We could waste no more time. We had to get to Ireland.

**A/N- Whew… long chapter. I hope you liked it. It was difficult to write.**

**And Chapter 11 is even more difficult to write. So review! I enjoyed the noise. Make some more! **


	12. Chapter 11

**A/N- It seems that you readers have quite a few questions for me, which makes me believe that all of you may have the same questions. So the questions I see on the reviews for the last two chapters I will be answering right here in our own little "Questions and Answers with the author" session.**

**Q: Why would they need a heart monitor for Bella and Edward? They're vampires for goodness sake! They have great hearing!**

**A: **_**Well, as we remember, poor Edward doesn't have that supersonic hearing like everyone else does. Carlisle hooked Bella up to the monitor so that Edward could monitor her just as well as everyone else. Also, heart monitors are very precise. I am not saying that vampiric hearing isn't. I'm just saying that a heart monitor may catch something that an untrained vampire's ear wouldn't. **_

**Q: Bella's heart has to stop before she becomes immortal? Grr..**

**A:**_** It is only a theory of Carlisle's. Keep reading. Any question of mortality will be answered by the end of the story. I promise. Everything will wrap itself up.**_

**Q: If Bella's heart stopped beating would she die or become a full fledged vampire?**

**A: **_**Bella will NEVER become a full fledged vampire. The immunity to venom is too great within her body for it to ever be that way. As for her dying… well, again I say, keep reading.**_

**Q: What is Jacob supposed to be thinking, when he is thinking "Is she going to-" ? Why was Edward glaring at him? **

**A: **_**There were two options for the finish of that statement. I'm sorry it seemed a little confusing. **_

_**Option #1 would be: Is she going to die? That would have earned a scowl from Edward anyways in his fragile condition. **_

_**Option #2: Is she going to become a full fledged vampire? Which, of course, Edward doesn't want anyways. He has become a half breed and likes the idea of he and Bella being equals, no matter how much he has personal issues with NOT being a vampire. It's all in his head. **_

**Q: How could Bella kill Noah herself? **

**A:**_** Why couldn't Bella kill Noah herself? Ok, Ok! So I know that I've made it abundantly clear that Bella and Edward are weaker than the rest of the Cullen family. Bella's capabilities will be revealed. Be patient. **_

**Q: HEY! You said no more comas for Edward! What were you thinking? **

**A: **_**Necessary precaution. Sorry. I did not plan for Edward to go crazy. But I mean seriously… the boy's been through so much I can imagine that cardiac arrest was the end of the trail for the boy. I did not keep him in a coma for longer than was necessary. You guys never would have known, had Carlisle not actually called it a coma.**_

**Q: What happened to Bella?**

**A:**_** The real question would have to be what hasn't happened to Bella? I mean seriously, think up the most out of this world explanation and you might still not be able to picture what Bella has been through since she ran off into the forest with Jacob, Noah on their heals. Seriously, keep reading. You'll know by the end!**_

**And that is the end of our Q & A with the author session. Are you more confused now than you were before? If you are… good! If everything is clearer…good! I don't mind either way. As long as everything is revealed in the end. And that's all you guys want, right? Closure?**

**Remember, I do not own Twilight, New Moon or Eclipse. I only borrow… and create new characters like Pherona, Seamus and Noah for my own plot's purposes. Enjoy!**

I wondered if Bella had gotten bored with the Irish landscape on her trip with Carlisle to see Seamus. I certainly was. Green everywhere. It was almost like Forks, except there were fewer trees.

During the plane ride, Bella had slept for the most part. At one point, she tried to tell me what had happened in the forest, despite my deterrence. She left big holes in the story though. The only thing that I could completely discern, she had already told us. That Noah had ran from her. That he had been afraid of her.

I carefully kept my emotions at bay. Once we were in Ireland, Jasper had offered to drive Bella and me so he could help me with my emotions but I had refused. It had taken the entire plane ride, but my string of emotions had been compartmentalized into a small part of my brain and heart. The somewhat rational side of me had taken over. No matter what Emmett thought, I needed to keep a cool head. I did not want to upset Bella anymore than she already was.

While Bella dozed during the car ride, I thought of our host, who would probably be surprised at our arrival. Seamus was an interesting person to know. He was a more traditional vampire, living alone. Keeping to himself. And he was a vegetarian vampire, for the most part. He very rarely left Ireland anymore, unless someone asked him to.

What I remember most of Seamus was the week he had stayed with Carlisle and me. It was very early on in my existence as a vampire. We had gone into the small village close to our home, because I was starting to get cabin fever. I was strong enough to have contact with humans for short periods of time by then.

A little girl from the orphanage had fallen out of a tree and broken her arm while we were walking by. Even then, when I had not had medical school behind me, I knew that it was broken. She had been crying so hard. Seamus had barely blinked an eye. He just picked her up, despite her screaming, and healed her arm. Thank goodness it had not broken through her skin. I watched him patch her bone together right there.

It was an amazing gift. It had also been amazing what the little girl had told the caretaker of the orphanage after the encounter. She had called Seamus an angel. Bella was not the only one who mistakenly branded us as holy creatures.

"I'm going to go see if Seamus is here," Carlisle's voice snapped me out of my wandering thoughts. We were parked in Seamus' long driveway. The events of the last few days were catching up with all of us. Even though they had never known a moment of exhaustion, my entire family looked a little more bedraggled than usual.

I only hoped that Seamus could help Bella. There were three different times during the plane ride that she had admitted to a heightening in the pain in her chest. Every time I felt a little more helpless than before, unable to do anything but sit and watch and hold her.

I was surprised to see Seamus come from a break in the trees short moments after Carlisle had disappeared. He approached the car Bella, Esme and I were in. My eyes barely caught his quick movements as he wrenched the door open.

"I could hear her heart." he explained without greeting, "Come on. It sounds like she's near her end. Slide her to me and we'll see what we can do."

I was shocked motionless. Seamus looked a little more than distressed. It was a curious thing. But I had no time to ponder it. There was a sudden urgency in the air and I had to follow it.

Feeling oddly clumsy, I angled Bella towards the open door and slid her into Seamus open arms. Seamus sent me a wan smile and then his speed made him a blur that rushed into the trees.

"I suppose we can go in," I said, still stunned by Seamus' behavior. My siblings got out of the other rented car and we all walked into the wooded area, towards the house. Carlisle met us on the porch, looking as mystified as I felt.

"Seamus is very upset by this," Carlisle said. _And it's very disconcerting._

Very disconcerting, indeed. Seamus seemed to sense that Bella's heart was giving out. And my mind was beginning to unravel again at the thought.

_Edward, please invite everyone in. I am getting Bella set up in the basement._ Seamus' thoughts filtered through the others' confusion. So he remembered my mind reading capabilities.

"Seamus has requested that we all come in. He has already taken Bella downstairs." I reiterated.

"To his lab," Carlisle confirmed and led us into Seamus house. Looks were deceiving. I imagined that with the rustic surroundings and the look of the cabin, the inside would be much the same. Instead, classic, clean lined furniture was placed neatly around the large front area of the cabin. There were seats for nearly twenty people on couches, chairs and loveseats. Through the next doorway I saw a room with a long table and chairs. There was also a set of open stairs with a banister led to an attic room.

"Wow. This is really nice." Jasper murmured, "Maybe I should take up the hermit life." He glanced around appreciatively, until Alice elbowed him in the ribs and mock scowled at him. Jasper was also thinking how nice it would be not to have temptation staring him in the face everyday if he lived sequestered away from the human populace.

I was looking for the staircase that would lead me downstairs, to Bella.

"Edward, this way," Carlisle motioned as the rest of the family settled down in the living area. I followed him through the house and down a set of stairs.

"How did this happen?" Seamus asked as soon as we appeared. He was sitting on a stool beside a long table Bella was resting on. He was gazing warily at her sleeping face and rubbing a hand along his chin.

"We don't know." Carlisle answered. At that, Seamus jumped from his stool and began pacing around the lab. That made me even more anxious.

"Tell me, what finally woke you up, Edward?" Seamus turned towards me, seemingly remembering that I, too, had a heartbeat. As if he was incapable of hearing it.

"A crash unit. Bella found the story of an old Egyptian goddess named Pherona. She was the Egyptian counterpart to Aphrodite. Pherona was the goddess of the heart, though, not of love. She healed people who were almost dying or freshly dead, by touching them. Bella immediately thought of shocking me to start up my heart, because more than likely, that's how Pherona was bringing people back to life." I explained. I felt proud at the thought. That she had figured it out. Something that had baffled even Carlisle.

"Because if her heart was beating, then maybe yours would to?" Seamus finished.

"Yes." I nodded, smiling only a little.

"And I see it worked. She's very clever, Edward." Seamus looked back at her. And then I saw in his thoughts a snatch of something he was trying to keep away from me. For a split second he envisioned her face, smiling, though it was a painful smile. It must have been a memory from the last time she had visited here.

Bella had yet another admirer. As if erratic hybrid heartbeats, trips to Ireland and psychotic vampires were not enough, the vampire doctor was infatuated with Bella. That must have been why he rushed to the car so fast when we arrived, barely giving Carlisle time to get to the house and explain.

"So what exactly were you doing when Bella ended up this way?" Seamus asked. And the conversation went on.

While Carlisle explained what had happened and how we found Bella, I was carefully analyzing any thoughts that came from Seamus. Besides trying to sort out the story of our search, there were no further indicators that Seamus had any feelings for Bella, other than concern for her well being.

Finally, I turned from my jealous thoughts and musings, back to Bella's sleeping face. I was glad, at least, that she could sleep so deeply. I was surprised that she could sleep through the pain at all.

"Edward, stop looking at me." Familiar words coming from Bella's sleepy voice, as if she had heard my own thoughts.

"Never." I responded, moving closer to take her hand.

"Why am I laying on a table?" she frowned at me and then noticed Seamus and Carlisle.

"How do you feel, Bella?" Seamus asked, standing from the stool he had reclaimed.

"It's still painful, but this is the least it has hurt, yet." She admitted, then looked up at me. "I remember more of what happened though." I waited for her to continue, urging her with my gaze. "Noah slammed into a tree while I was chasing him. When I got close, I felt something—I'm not sure what it was, but Noah stayed pinned to the tree. Then he lunged at me."

I tried to stifle the growl that built in my chest.

"No Edward, he never touched me." Bella got the strangest look on her face. It was astonishment mixed with confusion and urgency. "He just—blew up into fiery pieces…"

And then, she gasped and the painful expression was back in her face. My held in emotions were unraveled completely, making me feel even more powerless.

"What's happening?" I almost yelled, knowing Carlisle and Seamus could hear her heart. They both had stood up and come very close.

"Edward, her heart—this is the worst it has been." Carlisle whispered.

"NO!" I placed my hand over her heart so I could feel it. It was almost jumping out of her chest cavity in an odd staccato rhythm.

"What are we to do? Just stand here and let her die?" I cried out. This was not supposed to be happening. What if Bella's heart stopped and then she never woke up?

"We will not let her die," Seamus shook his head, "What she said—has she discovered her gift? What she brought from her human life?"

Why was he chattering about Bella's gift when she was in so much pain? When her heart was so close to stopping?

"No, it had been so long, we concluded that what she brought from her human life was her love for Edward." Carlisle shrugged helplessly.

"I don't think so." Seamus said. I could hear his thoughts. They were broken and difficult to decipher, but I finally saw. It must have registered on my face.

"You see?" Seamus' eyes were bright with excitement.

"You think that Bella's gift has something to do with how Noah just blew up? Bella has the gift to blow people up? That is ridiculous, Seamus. Bella never blew anyone up as a human. She was not a pyro technician or a bomb expert." I shook my head incredulously and looked back down at Bella's strained face.

"But it might be a key to the puzzle. If we could just sit down and think about this—"

"SIT AROUND AND THINK?!?" My raised voice shook the cabinets along one wall of Seamus' lab, "We have NO TIME for that."

"This is not getting us any closer to figuring out a way to help Bella," Carlisle reminded us, placing a hand on my shoulder.

"What is going on down here?" Esme's voice was the loudest I had heard it since I ran away to Alaska when I first met Bella, "Are you any closer to figuring out what is wrong with Bella? Is your arguing going to heal her?" Esme, the mother bear.

"We were only having a difference of opinion." Seamus' cool voice tried to explain.

"Well, have a difference of opinion later," she scowled at us, "Bella is in pain and if you boys do not find a way to fix her soon, she's going to die. You are not going to want to see me if she dies. Mark my words. Especially if you are down here puttering around, arguing about—whatever you're arguing about." She threw her hands up in frustration and went to Bella's side.

Leave it to Esme. I threw a dark look over at Seamus. He and Carlisle held repentant expressions.

"Well, what do you suggest, Edward?" Seamus asked, "Sitting here, watching her die is not an option. I cannot heal her because there is nothing that I can heal. I have already tried that once." His thoughts almost taunted me, like an older brother taunted a sibling. How juvenile of him.

"I do not know." This is what plagued me. Almost seventeen hours of driving and flying and driving and I still could not think of anything that might help us. I did not think that electrocuting Bella would help. If I remembered my medicine correctly, shocking a live heart would only kill the person, so that was out. As was any idea of blood pressure medication or nitroglycerin. Our blood did not carry medication because the vessels were no longer connected to our digestive system.

Then I had a daring thought. Something that everyone would be opposed to. But it was possible that it could work. I was suddenly glad that I was the one who could read minds and not someone else in my family. They might think I was suicidal. But we had to try _something_.

**A/N- DUN DUN DUN! What in the world has gotten into Edward's head this time? **

**Does anyone know? Oh wait! I think **_**I**_** do. Or do I? **

**You want to see if I know what Edward's thinking? Then REVIEW! It's the fastest way to get the next chapter up. Seriously. **


	13. Chapter 12

**A/N- Alright…. Here it is. The long awaited chapter. What is Edward thinking? You are about to find out.**

**Truth be told, this is probably the first in a series of last chapters. It makes me sad that the lex is closed down right now, because I won't be able to alert all my readers over there. And I am a little curious about which Barnes and Nobles' got a shipment of **_**Eclipse.**_

**I don't own Twilight or all the other books---or any of the characters. I'm just borrowing them for my own personal use. Enjoy. **

"Do you really believe that Bella will let you do this?" Alice asked incredulously. I realized that she must have seen what I had planned.

She had appeared suddenly, in the middle of our brainstorm in the lab, to scowl at me. And to tattle, obviously.

"What will I let Edward do?" Bella asked. The pain had subsided again and she was down to a slight grimace.

"Edward—have you not told them yet?" Alice asked, "Tell them! How could you think this would ever work Edward? Are you suicidal?"

"Edward, I think you had better share what is on your mind," Esme came very close to me and gave me a warning glance. I looked down at the floor, running an anxious hand through my hair.

"Tell them!" Alice shook me by the shoulders, rattling my teeth. She waited for a minute and then huffed. "Fine, I will. I saw a vision where Edward and Bella were laid out on tables side by side. Seamus, Carlisle and Rosalie were taking Edward's heart out and putting it into Bella's chest. It was still beating."

Her voice had become shrill during her explanation. And the entire room was silent for a moment. They were all shocked thoughtless, staring at me.

"You wouldn't dare," Bella's voice was low and her stare had turned fiery.

"I would—I would dare. I would rather give up my heart for you than to see you die. Mine is still beating. Yours is not going to last." I stood beside her bed, "I would give up my heart and my life, if I knew you are safe."

"It would be wasted." She muttered, closing her eyes.

"No it would not. Because you would promise me that you would not try anything funny. Like going to Italy." I placed my hands on her face, "Bella, I lived for a hundred years. You have lived all of nineteen. You should have a lifetime full of experiences. That is my wish for you."

And it was. Even if I ceased to exist, I wanted Bella to live on. To experience life. To learn about things that she had no chance to in her almost nineteen years.

"I don't think it has to be that way," Seamus' voice was followed by his thoughts. He came into my line of vision and I tried not to scowl. I could tell now. Even though my complete attention should have been on Bella, Seamus' thoughts screamed at me. He had fallen for Bella. The rage that I felt numbed the anguish of Bella's condition for a moment.

"What do you mean?" Bella asked, looking up at Seamus. I was suddenly analyzing her every move. I wasn't able to read her mind. What if she shared an attraction to him? Could I handle that?

"I mean, if you need a stable heart, then why not take a vampire's? We certainly aren't using them." Seamus shrugged. He thought he had all the answers.

"I can't believe that will work." I shook my head, trying to divide jealousy and concern for Bella. "There might be a better chance if it's a beating heart. It has to be mine."

"Then _you_ could take one of ours," Esme interjected, placing a hand on my arm, "You could have mine."

"No." Bella's voice was firm, "No one is doing anything of the kind. No one. Including you, Edward. First of all, we all heal up pretty quickly. Any laceration made in our skin would seal itself up--fast. And secondly, even if this was easy to do, like you must think, you are still not doing it. I'm not doing it."

"Then what, Bella?" I asked, completely forgetting about Seamus and his infatuation with her. This was no time for jealousy. Not at the moment. "What would you have me do? Stand by while your heart slowly dies, and quite possibly you with it. No. I don't think so."

"Just—let me think." Bella scowled at me, "And don't start yelling again. It will only make the both of us upset."

She stared at the ceiling. I could tell she was piecing everything together in her mind. A realization dawned on her face. Everyone's anxious thoughts told me they wanted to know what she was thinking.

"I just remembered what happened to Noah. I mean, what really happened. Not just what I saw." Bella murmured, "Noah lunged at me and I felt this build up within me. And at the last possible moment, I let the build up go and whatever it was, fire maybe, shot out of my hands—which were up in front of me for protection. That's what blew up Noah." She let that settle into our minds, but did not wait long to continue.

"No matter what, that—thing—that came out of me was also what caused this irregularity in my heart. It's possible that if this ever happens again, my heart or Edward's or whatever will short out again, destroying another heart." Bella looked at me, sorrowfully, "I think what Carlisle said earlier is right. My heart has to stop."

"No." I whispered, "I do not think I can allow that." Carlisle and Seamus' thoughts agreed with her, though. They deemed it logical, while my own idea had been somewhat suicidal and maybe just a bit desperate. In a different situation, someone might have seen it as romantic, too. Me giving my actual heart to Bella.

"Let me finish." Bella grimaced at me, "What you need to do is find a defibrillator and shock me back to life, once my heart has stopped. I think that I'll go into the same comatose stupor that you did, but I will be in it a shorter amount of time than you were. It makes sense."

"And if your case isn't the same as mine?" I asked. I was sorry I asked that question as soon as it came out of my mouth. Thoughts from all my family members crashed into my mind. Scenarios of what could happen. It only served to heighten the anxiety and wretchedness that burned me from the inside out.

"Edward, I can't live with this erratic heartbeat." Bella gasped out, "I don't think my heart will be able to keep it up. The only way I can see is to let it die down, until it sputters out, so that when you shock me and start it back up, it will contain a normal rhythm."

"Listen to her Edward. I think she's right," Carlisle nodded, "She made some scary choices for you barely a month ago. Choices I'm not sure I would have made myself. Just because it sounds ridiculous and impossible, does not mean that it couldn't work. Would you have thought to shock a vampire in a coma? No."

I glanced between Carlisle, Esme, Alice, Seamus and Bella. Bella had already won. I could hear it in their minds. They would not agree with me giving up my own heart.

"Can I talk to Edward alone for a minute?' Bella asked. As if that would help. They would probably be able to hear us from the upstairs, but they all filed out obediently, anyways. And they carefully kept their thoughts from me, as if they realized the barrage of their minds had been too much.

"Come here," she held her hand out for me to take. I reluctantly slid my hand into hers and sat on the stool that Seamus had vacated. She squeezed it tightly.

I refused to look at her. She knew what she was doing. She was very persuasive with me. She would get her way if I saw the pleading in her eyes. I was serious when I said I could deny her nothing. And that scared me. Because I did not want to stand down.

"Edward, do you know how old I feel right now?" she asked. That was a very odd question, even for her. I glanced up in surprise, even though I should have been used to her unusual approach to everything. Her face held a small smile at my reaction.

"How old do you feel?" I retorted, allowing her to play the game, at least for the moment. I leaned my elbows on the table and enclosed her hand in both of mine, captured by her expressions for the moment.

"I feel about as old as you actually are. Do you know how much I've been through in the past two years?" she pursed her lips into a grimace, "So much. It's hard not to grow up when I've been exposed to so much. And when I've had to think of someone other than myself."

I was enthralled by her expression. It was like she was coming to a realization that she had not been sure of until she began to speak. It was hard not to get caught up in her beautiful face. 

"Edward, tomorrow is my birthday. Last year I did not want to celebrate it, because it meant another year older I would age. Another line in my face I would have that you wouldn't. But it doesn't even matter now. It doesn't matter than you're eternally seventeen and I'm eternally eighteen—as far as we know. Because suddenly, even though you have almost a hundred years on me, I have caught up with you." She grinned.

"I had to mature a great deal while you were asleep. I had to shift my own grief away so that I could help your family deal with theirs. I held you. Talked to you. Demanded that you wake up. Bargained with you." She shook her head incredulously. "Then I left to find answers. It was so hard to be away, but I was going crazy. And you were wasting away."

Bella laid her free hand against my cheek. It was still ice cold. I was surprised at how cold it was, but her touch sent those wonderful tremors through my torso, igniting the fireworks that were always present when she was around.

"I couldn't let you--" She sniffed, her eyes tearing, "I couldn't let you go. I know how you feel right now. Like you're going insane. You've never liked to see me hurt. Even when it was just a paper cut. But Edward, giving me your heart—when we know it's what is keeping you stable—is ludicrous. You have to see that. And I worked too hard to get you in working order again."

Her fingers trailed up my face and twisted into the unruly locks that lay against my forehead. I leaned in to smell her wonderful scent.

"Now—it's your turn to talk, ok? But know that I am not going to take your heart." She scowled.

"It's already yours." I whispered, "But Bella—my existence is worthless if you aren't alive to share it. And giving you my heart might be our only chance."

"Then we, my dear, are at an impasse," she arched her eyebrow at me. Ancient words that came from my own mouth only months ago.

"Nice phrasing," I snorted, "I just want what is best for you."

"And what's best for me is peace of mind. I get that peace when I know you are alive." Bella argued.

"So explain to me again what you think is going to work." I said, patiently.

"We will wait until my heart is completely stopped and when it is, you will use a crash unit on me, and start my heart back up. It will resume a normal rhythm and all will be well."

"It seems too simple," I shook my head. And it did to me. Nothing with Bella and me was simple. The simple act of being together had been anything but simple. Then I was reminded of something,

"There is another reason I am not crazy about this. What if your soul is still intact? If your heart has not stopped and you have not died, then your soul might still be intact. I had given up on that, back in June. I had allowed you to coerce me into changing you. But now… now you have a chance at living without being damned eternally."

"Back to that again, huh?" Bella rolled her eyes, "Well, you have far less time to re-realize that I have never cared that much for my soul. It was only you that I cared about, and being with you for the rest of my life. So, get over it."

I sighed heavily. To allow her to have her way would mean defeat on my part. My entire body ached at the thought of losing her. But we could not be sure anything would work. Half-breed medicine was more guessing and pondering than practical science.

Bella had guessed right when they had brought me back from my coma. But any move we made from this point on could be dire for Bella. And I wasn't sure I could make any promises about not going back to the Volturi if she died. The next time I laid eyes on Aro, Marcus and Caius, they would see reason.

I spent a few precious moments rememorizing Bella's face. Even with my photographic memory, I always liked seeing the real thing better than picturing it in my mind. There was just something inspiring about her face. Something that made me write compositions so complicated that even I was unsure of their true melody.

I wanted to be able to look at that face for as long as I lived. So we would take every precaution. And my heart was still an option—a last resort. Bella would live, whether I did or not.

"Can we at least let Alice look ahead and see what's in store?" I asked, letting her believe she had won.

"That would be a good idea." Bella nodded, "Someone needs to go find a crash unit, unless Seamus has one down here, which I doubt."

"We will take care of everything." I kissed her hand and then stood so I could kiss her forehead.

"Edward, don't be so hard on Seamus, either." She frowned at me, "I know you think he has a crush on me or something, but my heart belongs here," she placed her hand on my chest, "With yours. So be nice. He helped save you."

Three days later we were still waiting. Only an hour after we had first arrived, Seamus left us to go gather up a defibrillator and anything else we might need if Bella went into cardiac arrest. We had been ready the whole time. Every day that passed, I got more hopeful. Maybe her heart would straighten itself out. Maybe all we needed was time.

Alice's visions gave us no help. She only saw us watching over Bella day and night.

After the first day, Emmett moved a couch down to Seamus' lab, so Bella could be more comfortable when she was lying down. Her birthday slid silently by at her request. She did not want to remind everyone of her last birthday party.

My family began to get stir crazy on the second day and Seamus sent them out into his woods to hunt. They came back only an hour later, not willing to stray far from Bella. Esme especially hovered around us.

Bella refused to stay down for the most part. If she was not in much pain, she was up, moving around. We took short walks in the woods and we listened to Seamus and Carlisle recount stories about their adventures together in the 18th century. Bella was suddenly interested in the lives we led before she had met us. We spent hours answering questions about where we had lived before and what the houses looked like and if we had gone to high school or college there. Trivial things about earlier times.

If Bella slept, it was a chance for me to sleep as well. Unfortunately, I usually only slept for a few hours at a time afraid she would wake up before me and it would all be over.

The times that Bella's face would crumple, willing the pain in her chest away I felt a hopelessness that plunged me into despondency. All I could do was hold her hand and wish for her good health to be reinstated. In those moments, I was grieved for all the time that I lost with her. The mistakes I had made. And my entire family would get a grave look on their pale faces. Their thoughts would suddenly become curiously simple, blocking me from reading their real thoughts.

I felt bad for Jasper. Never in all his years with us had he been asked to deal with so much emotion as he had at Seamus' house. His thoughts remained monosyllabic as he checked on everyone like a doctor would patients. Alice worried about him constantly. I had tried to convince him to run a few miles away, just so that he would get a break from the raging insanity. But he refused. He would rather have been ripped into pieces by our emotions and expend all his powers trying to comfort us than be away.

The third day brought a frightening change. Bella had woken up from a nap in severe pain and two hours later the throbbing still had refused to let up.

_This might be it. _ Carlisle's mind whispered to me. Esme was holding Bella's head in her lap and rubbing her forehead. I was leaning against a wall, facing Bella's still form.

"No." My voice was barely a sound, but Carlisle understood. He quietly gathered everyone into the lab. It was like a hospital room where the patient was terminal. Echoing quiet. Beside the couch Rosalie, Emmett, Jasper and Alice knelt one by one to talk to Bella for a few moments before backing away so we could move her back to the table she had rested on before.

I had never seen Bella look so pale. Translucent.

"Edward," she whispered, reaching for my hand. I stepped up, longing for her touch, for anything she would say to me, "You have to promise me you won't try anything stupid. Like convincing Seamus and Carlisle to take out your heart." Her statement was said with difficulty, through a painful grimace.

She opened her eyes and gazed at me through tear filled eyes. How could I live without her? How could I do anything without her? The pain slammed through my body. Even Jasper could not help me now. The hole had gaped itself wide again and was threatening to take the rest of my body with it.

"I promise that I will always act in your best interest." I conceded, painfully. "I will not give up my physical heart."

Then she made a sound that effectively shattered my poor, beating heart. It was a half strangled cry, but there was something more to it. Something pitiful. The sound stabbed at me like knives.

"Her heartbeat is fading." Seamus said, unnecessarily. I knew. I knew from the ice cold feel of her skin and the insipid color that remained in her face. Carlisle held the paddles of the crash unit, ready to take action at the crucial time.

"I love you, Edward." Bella gasped out, as her eyes closed against the pain. Inexplicable anguish and horror made my knees weak and I collapsed into a kneeling position by the table.

"I love you." I whispered into her ear and a sob broke my composure completely. My eyes closed against the terror wreaking havoc upon my body and mind.

In the wisp of a moment, I was being snatched away from the table. I opened my eyes to see who had dared to pull me away from Bella, but my eyesight caught the phenomenon that was happening.

Bella was glowing. Every inch of exposed skin was glowing white and there was a hint of a sparkle to her skin. There was a sudden tenseness in the air, almost like an invisible force pressing upon my body. Then an explosion made me throw my hands over my ears and close my eyes against the sight and sound.

I was paralyzed with fear. What had happened? Was it over? Was Bella gone?

**A/N- Did you guys really think that I would let you off that easy? Come on. I still have a few chapters left. Of course I'm going to leave you on the cliff. **

**I'm still working, remember, so it's even more difficult to write these final chapters. I'm sad to say that I don't have either chapter done. So reviews are going to be what pushes me on, into the night, to write. Review! **


	14. Chapter 13

**A/N- Alright… here is the long waited conclusion of Protection. I want to take a moment and thank all of my regular readers. Paradox-Barbarian-Princess, thesunshinekid, Silver Dog Demon, GoodyGoody23, DMLefty, gypsyrover, sounds of music, Llama Mama23, SparkleLikeMillionDiamond, XvampireloverX, Insanity's Partner, SoftFrost, Twisted Tracy, softballgirl1136, LuthienFlicker, and EVERYONE ELSE… **

**You guys have pushed me through… and gotten me to write more than I think I've ever written before in the span of a month and a half. You are awesome reviewers and I hope that every writer has faithful fans like you. **

**So, for the next to last time (there is an epilogue of course) this story will see it: I do not own Twilight, New Moon, or Eclipse. I only own Seamus, Pherona, and Noah. And maybe… just maybe I own the half-breed part of Edward and Bella.**

After several moments of standing with my back to Bella, I opened my eyes to stare at my family. Emmett had pulled me away from the table. But he was looking over my shoulder. They all were. And I saw in their minds Bella's form. It was intact. I had wondered if it would be, after an explosion like that.

I turned very slowly to look at her. When my eyes landed on Bella, my hope fell. She was lying very still. Very corpselike. This did not help my spiraling emotions. It must have shown on my face.

"Edward, give me your hand," Alice held hers out, giving me a gentle smile. I tried to decipher her thoughts, but her head was swimming with visions. I couldn't tell which images her thoughts were and which the products of her gift were. This seemed to amuse her even more. She grabbed my hand and jerked me forward, towards Bella.

Carlisle and Seamus were on the other side of the table, standing very still, staring at Bella. Their thoughts were muddles of "how could this happen?" and "only Bella and Edward." I tried to push everyone's thoughts away. My mind was a jumble of confusion even without the minds of my family.

Alice took my hand and placed it on Bella's chest. Right over her heart.

And then I felt what the rest of the room could hear. Bella's heartbeat. And it was normal. Relief flooded my senses. And my knees collapsed under me.

"She's alive." I whispered, in shock turning to lean against the table leg. Alice folded herself careful down to my eye level and smiled.

"Yes, she is." Alice nodded. I closed my eyes against the tears that were threatening to form in my own eyes. Bella was alive. Her heart was completely normal. Her life was intact. Our lives were intact. My heart was intact. I reached up to feel where the pain had ripped my insides out. Everything was intact.

Alice drew me up from the floor and hugged me tightly. In that gesture I felt what I had needed all along. Support. I had tried to go this alone, no matter how many people were gathered around Bella and me. I had relied completely on myself, only allowing someone to reach out to me when I was completely unconscious.

"Forgive me," I whispered to Alice, "For thinking I did not need you."

"Don't worry. You were only thinking of Bella and not yourself. It's forgivable." She smiled.

The rest of my family was just as understanding.

"I probably wouldn't have handled it this well," Emmett shrugged, "You are made of some pretty strong stuff. And I'm not talking about the venom."

"It was only for Bella's sake." I shrugged, "She is what makes me strong."

"I don't know. You've always been strong." Carlisle smiled, pulling Esme close, "Bella has just managed to test the outer reaches of your strength. That's the way love works."

I was unable to disagree with him in that aspect. From tempting me with her intoxicating scent to making me so apprehensive my heart stopped, she had tested me from the moment I met her.

"What do we do now?" I asked, suddenly anxious to talk to Bella. To wake her up.

"We wait. Bella is just sleeping. After—well after whatever happened to her, she probably needs it." Carlisle sighed.

At first, we stood around the table Bella was on, watching her silently. Everyone was completely relaxed. Jasper looked visibly relieved. The only activity in anyone's mind was Carlisle and Seamus' thoughts. They were completely centered on how Bella had seemingly healed herself. At the moment I cared nothing about _how_ she was cured, as long as she was.

Soon, though, the party began breaking up. My siblings sent positive thoughts my way as they drifted back upstairs, but they knew I wanted to be alone with Bella when she woke up. Carlisle was next, taking a reluctant Esme with him. Only Seamus and I remained.

"I'm no match for you, Edward." Seamus muttered as soon as they were gone.

"What are you talking about?" I asked, glancing up from Bella's sleeping face. I was holding her hand, almost bent over her. Seamus stood at the end of the table, positioned so that he could look at me and Bella at the same time.

"I remember you, from when I first met you." Seamus' smirked. "This angry adolescent who was only grudgingly thankful to Carlisle." I suddenly saw a clear picture of myself in Seamus' mind. I was thrashing wildly about the cabin Carlisle and I had stayed in. Playing the piano with a fervor that was edging on aggravation. Clearly, I had been the poster child for the disgruntled teenager.

"You were very difficult to get along with. Maybe it was just because you were not used to having someone around besides Carlisle. I don't know. But what I remembered of you made me believe that you did not deserve Bella. When she and Carlisle came here, I was delighted with her right from the beginning. Drawn to many of the things that you were drawn to, possibly. And she was so determined. Determined to figure a way to pull you out of that coma."

As Seamus was speaking, I saw in his mind Bella's visit. To me, she looked very tired. And her eyes gave away the fact that she was no longer eighteen. But she was still so beautiful. Even in her exhausted state.

"I was wrong. You certainly have changed. If you have had any anger these past days here, it is only because you felt helpless to do something for Bella. And when you stepped up and offered your heart, no matter how foolish it was, I knew that I was no match. Not because I could not give such a thoughtful gift, but because I'm not sure that I would have been capable of such an offering. Please, forgive me. I have been foolish, myself, for thinking I was so much better than you. It is a character flaw."

I was stunned. I had suspected his infatuation. But I never imagined he would own up to it. I suddenly realized I couldn't blame him. Every teenage boy at Forks High had managed to imagine themselves with her at one point or another. But to hear him say that he had thought I was unfit? Well, I was. I was undeserving of such a devoted mate. Especially when it was my presence that had brought on the most trouble in her life.

"I feel unworthy, much of the time." I admitted, "And I did make an unsavory first impression with you." I cringed at my own memories of those first years.

"But she chose you. She chooses you every time. Carlisle told me about all the adventures you have had with Bella. Singing blood. Werewolves. Volterra. She's pretty amazing. You both are." Seamus smiled and glanced towards Bella, "From the sound of her heart, Sleeping Beauty is about to wake up. I'll leave. Give you some time with her. Just remember that you are more worthy than you might think."

And in a flash Seamus was gone. I turned my attention to Bella. She was so beautiful. And still alive. I leaned my head back and silently thanked whatever being had decided to give her back to me. And for the second time in a week I felt complete solace at the sound of her voice.

"You didn't do anything stupid to get me like this did you?" Bella murmured. It was a teasing sound.

"No. My heart is still intact." I chuckled, taking hold of her hand and bringing it up to my chest.

"Thank you, for listening to me," she opened her eyes and smiled groggily up at me. Her hand spread itself out across my heart so she could feel my heartbeat. I drew in a ragged breath and thanked the heavens she was whole.

"It would have been difficult," I reminded her, "Had you not miraculously fixed yourself."

I watched as she stared at the ceiling. Probably trying to remember what had happened.

"My heart was slowing…right? And then I felt this—strange build up… like before what happened to Noah!" her eyes flashed to mine, and her voice was very excited, "And instead of the build up working itself outward—it was moving inward. As if there was anywhere inward it would go. But it went there. It went to my heart. And then I blacked out."

I stared at her, completely unable to speak. It was completely unbelievable. But it had happened. And here Bella was, awake and talking to me, barely an hour after we thought her heart was quitting on her.

No wonder the Volturi wanted to see how Bella would turn out. She was completely indestructible. Even as a half breed. If she could heal her own heart and incinerate a new, strong vampire, then she was a very powerful being. What would she have been able to do as a full fledged vampire? I shuddered at the thought.

"It must be my gift." She moved her hand up to my face. I leaned in, focusing on her presence, "I have a feeling that my half breed state is what merited this talent. The strongest human trait I brought with me was the need for protection. It seems to come out only when I am in dire distress, which is a good thing. I wouldn't want to hurt you."

"So that is it? You are attributing your miraculous recovery to a gift? You don't want to know what to expect from now on?" I asked. I was stunned, "What about immortality? And logical explanations? How can I just believe that you were fixed? How do I know that this won't happen again?"

It was irrational, I know. Just spouting out all my fears. But she might as well know.

She just smiled at me, her expression giving away nothing but amusement. It was again, infuriating not knowing what she was thinking. Maybe more infuriating because I was perplexed by her reaction.

"Edward, it felt the same way it did when Noah was—taken from existence," she seemed to be searching for words to explain it. "This pressure that built up. This force that sent me into unconsciousness. I felt bad and good at the same time. "

"That doesn't comfort me, Bella. When you finally stumbled into the forest where we were, your heart was unpredictable. It terrified all of us. And that was after you had blown up Noah yourself. What's stopping your heart from just—just—" I couldn't find words.

I was fighting so hard against the idea that Bella was ok, because if I got comfortable with the idea, I was sure that something bad would happen. We had been going in circles for almost two years, fighting for our relationship. I was not sure that I could just settle down. Not after all of this.

"Edward," Bella grabbed my hand, pulling my gaze back down to her face, "Stop worrying. Look at all we have gotten through. James, my 18th birthday," she grimaced at that, "Volterra, a coma, Charlie's death, Victoria, Noah. The only thing I'm worried about is that you will be bored with not chasing after adventure. That I'll be boring to you now."

My heart sighed. It actually sighed. Bella still doubted. She had admitted, seemingly eons ago, she thought I didn't want her. That had scarred me to the bone. For a moment, I was so ashamed of myself…that I hadn't just stayed. Danger seemed to lurk around her anyways. At least I would have been there to protect her.

"You will never bore me." I whispered fiercely. In a swift movement, I picked her up. I wanted to be closer to her. I wanted to feel her heartbeat. Slowly, I sunk into the couch and tucked her head under my chin, "Bella, I feel the need to remind you that I cannot live without you. My poor heart aches when I think about you doubting me. Doubting my attachment—no… your hold over me. I just—I want what is best for you. I have fought so hard. You have fought so hard. I just want everything to work."

And I did. That's all I wanted anymore.

"Then it will work." She wrapped her arms around my waist, "We will always have obstacles. We will always have problems. We wouldn't be Edward and Bella if we didn't. We're just going to have to accept the inevitable and deal with the ramifications."

I leaned back so I could gaze into her face. I was suddenly reminded of the day that I saved Bella from getting crushed by Tyler's van. Not when I pushed her out of the way. After that. In the hospital. She had been so determined to figure me out that day. Her lips had been pursed into a petulant pout and her glare had been utter defiance. No matter what, that was the day I had fallen in love with her.

Now she was determined to figure us out. To work us out. The signs were there. Although her pout was a little more relaxed. And the glare was not really a glare meant to burn holes through my head, like it had been that day. If you could burn holes through a vampire's head. It was more of a fiery gaze. Her determination made me love her that much more.

And so I pulled her back under my chin and allowed myself to inhale her scent. That wonderful scent. And all my own doubts and reservations floated away. I should have learned long ago that worrying about the future was useless. Relationships were always going to have their ups and downs.

And Bella and I had eternity. We had eternity to figure it all out.

**A/N- TADA! Alright, so I can't lie. The epilogue is almost done and I could probably have it done and put up by tomorrow… but I want to hear what you guys think about the conclusion of the story! If you want to see the eppy… you'd better review…. Seriously. **


	15. Epilogue

**A/N- tear This will be where I pause in my chapter story writing (as far as I know). I have been planning to take some time off. I have to write a seven page feature story for my magazine… and that'll take some real writing power. I may not have any left to write Edward and Bella with. **

**And I really want to read Eclipse before I write much else. I'm thinking of writing a comedic two shot doing crossovers between Twilight and this TV series called Bloodties. I have to look into that first. I think it's going to be hilarious but you never know. **

**But I wanted to thank everyone again, so much, for all the reviews… for With Opened Eyes and Protection. WOE has over 10,000 hits and Protection has over 4,000 right now! It's just amazing to me! **

**Ok… so for the last time in this story… I do not own the Twilight series… or Edward, Bella, Carlisle, Esme, Alice, Jasper, Emmett, Rosalie, Jacob, Billy, Sam… and anyone else I have mentioned from the books. I do, however, continue to own Seamus, Pherona, and Noah. So no stealing.**

**Enjoy the Epilogue!**

_The Cullen Family Practice._

It had a nice ring to it. I smiled as I leaned against the Volvo, content to stare at the freestanding building. It was a small, square red brick unit that held four examination rooms, a waiting room, an office and two supply closets. Upon Bella's request, the window panes were painted white and green shudders were added.

"To give it a welcoming appeal," she had said.

I thought it looked normal. Very normal. It felt normal, too. Like I had finally found my place in the world.

Well it wasn't normal that I would probably live longer than any of my patients. And it wasn't normal that I did not have to go to the doctor myself. But at least for a while, Bella and I would be Dr. and Mrs. Edward Cullen, living on 101 Gregory Road in our own two-story farm house.

Granted, 102 Gregory Road is a massive mansion that houses Carlisle, Esme and my brothers and sisters, when they visit. Our houses were also surrounded by a thousand acres of forest. For a very good reason.

After everything that happened in Washington and Ireland, we did decide to go to Massachusetts. Make a fresh start. No werewolves or treaties to contend with. And Bella and I went to Boston College. After eight years of schooling, all the interning and residencies, I was a doctor. Not just someone with three medical degrees. But a "white lab coat wearing, stethoscope sporting, half-breed vampire with a bedside manner."

Bella's words, not mine.

Bella had thought of the family practice. Since I did not have to deal with sparkling in sunlight and Carlisle did, I would take the day shift and gain regular patients in the process. And Carlisle would contend with all walk-in patients at night. So he had his own personal emergency room, it seemed.

The day after we received our undergraduate degrees, I proposed to Bella again. There was a ring this time.

"Edward Anthony Cullen, you had better take that ring back and get something smaller. I cannot cart a rock the size of Texas around. I don't care if I am going to be the wife of a doctor. It's too much!"

So I may have let my grandiose side get out of hand when I walked into a custom jeweler's store. I finally got her to wear it. But only after I showed her the matching wedding rings. Which she approved of. No diamonds. Just Titanium worked into braids that would fit on our fingers and display her 3 carat princess cut diamond very nicely.

"Can we get married tonight?" she had asked after she got over the shock of the engagement ring.

"You are out of your mind." I shook my head, "My mother would—" I paused to try to pick out the right words to encompass Esme's reaction to a quickie wedding, "I guess she would probably just not speak to us for an entire decade. Nor would Rosalie and Alice."

On July 28, 2012, Bella and I got married. Much to my sisters' disappointment, the ceremony was small and simple, in the chapel at Boston College. She had been beautiful that day.

After three years of wearing me down, I finally agreed to allow Bella to get in contact with Jacob. Not that I had any hold over her in that department. But she always asked me, and then we would get into an argument about it.

One of the ways our relationship would never be perfect. I really did not mind half as much that Jacob was a werewolf. Not anymore. He was thousands of miles away and it would stay that way. It was the fact that he was a constant reminder of my own faults. Someone who called me back to a time when I was very much adolescent, even at a hundred and ten years old. Jacob and Bella wouldn't have known each other had I stayed.

I glanced towards the red brick building again. I was supposed to be inside helping Alice and Bella paint. But I had pulled up to the office and gotten lost in my thoughts. I was suddenly thankful of everything, human or not, that I had gone through to get to here.

The door opened just as I was about to walk towards it to investigate the paint job and Bella stomped down the front steps. She was covered in white paint and scowling, as Alice danced out the door spotless, giggling.

"Edward, I think you need to take your wife home and hose her down. Her gracefulness failed her and she tripped into a whole can of paint." Alice taunted.

"Shut up Alice. Stupid graceful ballerina vampire," Bella grumbled. She was a sight to behold. White paint splattered into her mahogany hair. A big splash of it was covering her t-shirt. Beautiful as always. Nonetheless, I tried not to laugh at my wife, so utterly perturbed at her current state. It was only when she approached the Volvo that I could place a serious expression on my face.

"Do not think you are getting anywhere near my Volvo." I warned, standing between her and the car. It was the 2015 Volvo C60. Hard top convertible. Silver. A gift from Carlisle and Esme after I had finished my interning.

"Who said I was getting anywhere near _our_ Volvo?" She frowned, "Actually… if I was getting near anything… I would be getting near you." And quick as a flash Bella came bounding towards me, ready to pounce. I ran at a safe human speed, trying to stay away from her and the white goo that was beginning to harden onto her clothes. Eventually, I let her catch me. I was glad I had worn older clothing.

But as we laid there in the grass, me holding her and getting paint smeared on my grey t-shirt in the process, I knew—just as I had known all those years ago—that our relationship would only stay strong if we took it one day at a time. I could sleep at nights because I knew an inexplicable force was protecting Bella. And I only had to make sure that she was well cared for. Like a husband would.

"What are you thinking?" Bella leaned up on her elbow to look at me.

"Oh nothing." I grinned at her.

"You look deep in thought. You really shouldn't do that. You second guess yourself a lot when you do. Do you not want to be Doogie Howser anymore?" She teased.

"Bella, I really hate it when you call me that." I gave her a woebegone look. I had been in medical school when that particular show was first popular. There was more than once that someone thought of me as Doogie in their mind during those four years.

"Well, then try to get some lines on your face or something," she snickered, tracing patterns on my forehead, "And quit looking so fabulous all the time."

"HEY! Come on! It's boring watching you two being all lovey dovey." Alice whined, standing over us, "We still have two rooms to paint. Where have you been anyways, brother dear? With your head in the clouds?" Her smile told me I had been caught.

"Alice, just because I was leaning against my car for a few minutes does not mean that I was completely lost in thought." I scowled.

But apparently it did. And Bella and Alice argued with me about it all the way inside.

As I stepped over the threshold of the newly painted office, I felt an overwhelming peace. More peace than someone like me should ever feel, after the life I have led so far. I suppose I am still a little masochistic.

But I knew that I had been given a precious gift. And I would try to enjoy it while I could and keep an active eye on Bella the entire time. There was no knowing what kind of trouble she might get into in a new social setting such as this.

**A/N- Reviews are a welcome reminder that I can always branch out and continue Edward and Bella's half breed adventures. But I encourage you to advance ahead and read the End of the Story Author's Note because there are some things I would like to say about With Opened Eyes, Protection, and any other story or oneshot I have written or may write. **

**So go ahead… review… but then hit the arrow button one more time. **


	16. End Note

SO… I hope you enjoyed With Opened Eyes and Protection. If you're here reading this it's because you've been devoted to my writing probably since you first stumbled upon With Opened Eyes… when I started writing it in June.

I wanted to take this moment to tell you guys why I really wrote these two stories. I didn't know myself at first, until about halfway through With Opened Eyes.

See… I'm 20… going on 40… and while I love Twilight and New Moon… and I'll probably love Eclipse… I was tired of waiting on Edward and Bella to grow up.

And I know.. many of you will go… what? Edward is over 100 years old. He's already grown up. And Edward had told Bella that she seemed very grown up already.

I beg to differ. There are plenty of ways they both are not so grown up. Like, for instance, the fact that Bella is Edward's first love and vice versa. Before he met her he was supposedly very self possessed. But the boy seems to lack life experience despite his 100 + years and medical degrees and what have you. And Bella only being a teenager in the first place means that she lacks life experience in general. She admits that herself in the books.

I wanted to find a way that I could kind of… grow them up a little bit more. Crises are always a great way to grow people up. Comas, half breeds, and the gift of protection were just the ways I chose.

I think when we write fan fiction, we use the characters to fit our visions and imaginations. And believe it or not, I have written stories that people found unsavory. Harriet and the 3 foot Giraffe is a great example. Someone thought Bella and Edward were out of character. The problem is I had set them far into the future. They were older. Bella was changed. She had been around the Cullens for a REALLY long time by then. And they were just a little too different for someone.

But that story fit my vision. Edward following Bella around Harrod's baby section. The baby section is definitely not his element anyways… why he would be IN character in such a place is beyond me.

Anyways… getting off the subject a bit. My whole point… if there was one to begin with… is that I have a vision for E and B. And it's probably not the same vision everyone else has. I want them to be equal. So I made them equal. I want them to begin to act older. So I created situations where the end result was the action of growing up.

Maybe I hit the nail on the head with the characters because that is where Stephenie is taking the real characters in the books? If you are a fanatic Meyer fan, you'll know that she has a lost piece of written work that is supposed to be a grown up version of Edward and Bella. This was before she had been asked to write New Moon… and all the other books. I believe that the lost work (that was her sister's birthday present) showed the same thing that I'm trying to show, at least to some extent.

I encourage all of you to find out what you want for the characters of Twilight and write that. If you're going to write at all, it might as well be so that you can feel some satisfaction in what you're writing. I know that when I write it is because I'm enjoying it. Not because I think the entire population of Twilight Fanfiction readers are going to like it.

I've learned long ago you can't please everyone.

Please keep a look out. I am hopefully going to be writing a two shot crossover between Twilight and Blood Ties. Just something to keep me bouncing between projects so I don't get bored with one.

I really hope you enjoyed the adventure! And really, there might be another story. I seriously would just like to get some inspiration from Eclipse. All ideas you might have for the sequel would be very welcome. I will post up one more chapter here, when I decide if I am going to do the third story in this series or not.

THANK ALL OF YOU SO MUCH!!! YOU ARE AN AMAZING AUDIENCE!


	17. Author's Note: NEW STORY!

Author's Note:

Hey guys, just in case you didn't know… I've begun to write the third (and final) chapter in the "With Opened Eyes" series.

You can find it under my profile. It's called "Constant." I hope you enjoy it!


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